The culinary star of A&E's Jake Makes It Easy and acclaimed author of Jew-ish and I Could Nosh, Jake Cohen delivers an astonishingly complete and practical guide to effortless entertaining in Dinner Party Animal. Addressing impromptu gatherings, invite-only shindigs, and all those in between, Cohen details every aspect of hosting, with menus, grocery and prep lists, and more.
The prep lists are perfectly tailored, whether they check tasks needing to be done "Up to 1 Week Ahead" or "Right Before Guests Arrive." Each element is so succinctly and flawlessly explained that would-be entertainers would have to work to put a foot wrong. When more delicious explication is occasionally needed for a particular event, for example, in the Passover recipes of "Let My People Nosh," Cohen provides "Game Time Pep Talk" notes.
Included are the beautifully photographed meals, as well as conversation starter suggestions from guests like Alex Edelman and Katie Couric ("What's the biggest change that you've seen in yourself over the last ten years?"). Recipients of this book will be eager to release their own inner party animal. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.