At Home With Friends: Spontaneous Celebrations for Any Occasion (Paperback)

by Michele Adams (Author), Gia Russo (Author), Victoria Pearson (Photographer) "Of the many great things to do on a weekend, a leisurely breakfast is near the top of the list..." (more)
Key Phrases: naan chips, remove empty bottles, review recipes, Indian Cocktail Party (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Having people over has never been easier-or more enjoyable. Authors Michele Adams and Gia Russo know there s nothing better than good food shared with good friends in the comfort of your own home. A festive environment and a relaxed host are the keys to a successful get-together, and At Home with Friends provides an innovative and affordable approach to accomplish that and more. Ten versatile party menus feature more than 60 simple and elegant recipes, all beautifully illustrated with nearly 100 full-color photographs. Each recipe comes with indispensable timesaving tips, do-ahead steps, and last-minute, store-bought substitutions for the time-pressed host. Every party features two separate checklists-the last-minute version for those with a day or less, and the more leisurely timeframe for hosts with two or more days to plan. From casual brunches and buffets to stylish dinner parties and cocktails, At Home with Friends has everything you need to make the most of any occasion.

About the Author
Michele Adams and Gia Russo are partners of MiGi, a lifestyle creative consulting company for multimedia projects, product design, and special events. Former editors at Martha Stewart Living and currently based in Los Angeles, their work has appeared in numerous magazines, ad campaigns, and catalogs. They are the authors of Wedding Showers (0-8118-2677-5) and Baby Showers (0-8118-2678-3).

Victoria Pearson is a Los Angeles-based photographer specializing in food and travel. Her photographs have appeared in Vegetarian Appetizers (0-8118-2966-9), The Cheese Course

(0-8118-2541-8), and Fresh from the Farmers’ Market (0-8118-1393-2), as well as in Martha Stewart Living, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, and Town & Country magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811833445
• ISBN-13: 978-0811833448
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #729,029 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful yet practical, February 26, 2003

By	Weixin Shi "wshi" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Now let's be fair. I wouldn't call a book with full page photos every other page minimally pictured. Topping the quantity of the pictures is the quality--crisp, rich, highly inspiring. (If you like the magazine Real Simple, you will like this book.)

Some of the recipes look complicated but are in fact fairly easy to follow. I tried a few and the results came out pretty close to the pictures. Every menu comes in a Plan Ahead version and a Last Minute version. So if you are in a time crunch and still want to impress your friends, this book is for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars bad cookbook, decent party planning book, January 10, 2006

By	Elisa (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

ONLY buy this book if you're looking for party planning ideas. the recipes are overly simple: for example, a few pages are dedicated to teaching you how to lay out deli meats for a buffet. many recipes suggest using store-bought cake and muffin mixes...gross! the pictures are pretty, though.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love It, December 2, 2002

By A Customer

I found this book to be incredibly inspiring. The ideas and the recipes are new and inventive. It's beautifully photographed and well written--a definite keeper!