As Shelly Westerhausen Worcel was preparing to host a gargantuan Thanksgiving feast at her house for the first time, her mother showed up with a contribution she wasn’t expecting: linen napkins for 25.
“To be honest, I was a little annoyed she didn’t offer to bring something more practical, like the dinner rolls or pie,” she recalls. But once she saw what a “fancy feel” they added to the table, she had to admit that her mom’s instincts were right.
In writing “Tables and Spreads: A Go-To Guide for Beautiful Snacks, Intimate Gatherings, and Inviting Feasts” (Chronicle, $27.95), the Bloomington, Indiana-based food writer aims to help haphazard party hosts do a better job of setting out “visually cohesive” spreads designed to fit the occasion.
The founder of the popular meat-free food blog, Vegetarian Ventures, Worcel previously wrote the bestselling “Platters and Boards” with her carnivore husband, Wyatt. This fun follow-up extends the entertaining advice to every component of the spread.
Part 1 is full of handy tips for adding style to your festivities: choosing dishware and linens, slicing and serving cheeses, making simple flower arrangements, assembling awe-inspiring tablescapes with ease.
Part 2 lays out themed menus with make-ahead game plans, along with ideas for styling and serving: Dips for Dinner, a Falafel Mezze Spread, New Year’s Eve Martini Bar, and more.
Recipes are mostly easy and affordable enough to enliven even a mundane weeknight, such as the two dazzling salads I tried — one for Israeli couscous with mint-parsley oil, and the other for a bright and pleasantly bitter radicchio salad with green olives and Manchego cheese. Later I made Blackberry-Dijon Whipped Ricotta and Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato and Walnut Dip to tote to a potluck, displayed with crudités piled high in contrasting colorful mounds.
Both drew enough raves to get me to thinking about hosting my first mask-free gathering in more than a year. I may even iron the napkins.
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.
COOKBOOK
“Tables and Spreads: A Go-To Guide for Beautiful Snacks, Intimate Gatherings, and Inviting Feasts”
by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel with Wyatt Worcel
Chronicle, $27.95, 288 pages
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