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What's a Hostess to Do?
In What's a Hostess to Do? , entertaining expert Susan Spungen explains everything you need to know to host a party effortlessly and with elegance. Susan shows the hostess how to make it look easy--whether the occasion is an informal brunch, a sit-down dinner, a buffet for a crowd, or an impromptu birthday celebration. It's all arranged in 313 easy-to-digest entries that take readers through every aspect of entertaining. The tips are time-saving ("Ten Great Assembled Dessets"), money-saving ("In Praise of Cheap Wine"), energy-saving ("Ten Jobs to Delegate"), and face-saving ("How to Handle Uninvited Guests"), plus there are 121 recipes to make entertaining easier than ever berfore. With helpful illustrations and full-color photographs, What's a Hostess to Do? is a stylish and instructive guide filled with expert advice from a party-throwing pro.
282 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 26, 2018
This is one of the books from my 2018 TBR Pile Challenge. I picked it up because I'm not a natural hostess and can use all the help I can get... Truthfully, the idea of throwing a dinner party fills me with dread. It's easy to get caught up in my worry of being judged. (Is our house too small? Are the decorations too plain? Is the food too basic? What if I run out of things to say? What if people don't have a good time? etc., etc...)
Of course it's always easier to close yourself off and never take social risks. But I'm actually really proud of myself, because so far I've been meeting my goal to have at least one neighborhood family over to our house every month. We've had three families over so far this year, and each get together has gone really well! I've found that most people get a couple drinks in them and have a jolly ol' time no matter what. It's helped me understand that people aren't hellbent on judging others. In fact, everyone seems eager to look for the positive. I think we all just want to have a good time, you know?
Anyway, this book definitely has some good advice when it comes to throwing parties. There are eight sections covering different types of gatherings, from a formal cocktail hour to a backyard picnic. I really like the sections on Setting the Scene (how to prepare your house for a party) and The Cocktail Hour (suggestions for making bomb ass cocktails, as well as how much alcohol to stock). Each section has lots of recipes, too, and even though I haven't tried any of them (and probably won't), it helps to see sample menus for each occasion.
The tone of the book is more formal and uptight than casual, which means it's a little too intense for my liking. But I still appreciate reading about proper etiquette and helpful tips for throwing a successful party. I know I have a long way to go when it comes to truly impressing guests, but it's still comforting to know that a clean house, pretty flowers, a signature dish, and a delicious cocktail are pretty much all it takes for people to get a good vibe from your shindig. And you only get better at it the more parties you host, so I guess we'll just have to keep having people over.
See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
Of course it's always easier to close yourself off and never take social risks. But I'm actually really proud of myself, because so far I've been meeting my goal to have at least one neighborhood family over to our house every month. We've had three families over so far this year, and each get together has gone really well! I've found that most people get a couple drinks in them and have a jolly ol' time no matter what. It's helped me understand that people aren't hellbent on judging others. In fact, everyone seems eager to look for the positive. I think we all just want to have a good time, you know?
Anyway, this book definitely has some good advice when it comes to throwing parties. There are eight sections covering different types of gatherings, from a formal cocktail hour to a backyard picnic. I really like the sections on Setting the Scene (how to prepare your house for a party) and The Cocktail Hour (suggestions for making bomb ass cocktails, as well as how much alcohol to stock). Each section has lots of recipes, too, and even though I haven't tried any of them (and probably won't), it helps to see sample menus for each occasion.
The tone of the book is more formal and uptight than casual, which means it's a little too intense for my liking. But I still appreciate reading about proper etiquette and helpful tips for throwing a successful party. I know I have a long way to go when it comes to truly impressing guests, but it's still comforting to know that a clean house, pretty flowers, a signature dish, and a delicious cocktail are pretty much all it takes for people to get a good vibe from your shindig. And you only get better at it the more parties you host, so I guess we'll just have to keep having people over.
See more of my reviews at www.bugbugbooks.com!
May 16, 2013
People often stress when it is time to host a party and receive guests. Some are hung up on perceived archaic rules. Others are just uncertain as what they should expect while many just go with the flow.
Here is a book that promises to explain everything you need to know to host a party effortlessly and with elegance, whether it be an informal lunch or a more formal affair in 339 "easy-to-digest" steps. 339?! Such an odd number. Whilst this reviewer must accept that there are people for WHOM this book will be a godsend, much of this book just seems to be reasonable common sense and thus superfluous to many.
Taking a look at the start of this book was, for this reviewer at least, a bit of a revealing and worrying warning. "A Hostess's four golden rules," it begins, ignoring that many men can and do host social gatherings, are to "coddle your guests", "plan ahead", "less (dishes) can be more" and "when the party starts, be in it." Well colour me surprised, shocked even. Who would have thought of that? Things continue in such a vein and whilst one doesn't want to denigrate those who really feel that they need this sort of help, it really starts to border on the facile at times.
The saving grace for this book might be the suggested menus and the 98 recipes (again, what a strange number) provided. Nothing is particularly ground breaking or unique to this book and if you already have a good bookshelf full of recipe books then you can equally find many similar or better recipes. The recipes themselves are reasonably laid out, with average photography and oblivious to the fact that people might cook outside of the United States thanks to their sole reliance on US-centric measures. Internal signposting and navigation is not the best either.
Sadly to say this is a book that one fears is destined to sink without a trace. Artisan usually comes out with some superb titles so it is a surprise that they've put their name to this book. For a collection of hints and tips and a few recipes it is rather average in nature, even if you have no other cookbook or Internet access at home. For a couple of dollars at a remainder store it might be worth it for a quick browse, but other than that it is hard to raise any enthusiasm for this title. It had a lot of promise but the actuality was an entirely different thing.
What's a Hostess to Do?: 313 Ideas and Inspirations for Effortless Entertaining, written by Susan Spungen and published by Artisan. ISBN 9781579653682, 288 pages. Typical price: USD17.95. YY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
Here is a book that promises to explain everything you need to know to host a party effortlessly and with elegance, whether it be an informal lunch or a more formal affair in 339 "easy-to-digest" steps. 339?! Such an odd number. Whilst this reviewer must accept that there are people for WHOM this book will be a godsend, much of this book just seems to be reasonable common sense and thus superfluous to many.
Taking a look at the start of this book was, for this reviewer at least, a bit of a revealing and worrying warning. "A Hostess's four golden rules," it begins, ignoring that many men can and do host social gatherings, are to "coddle your guests", "plan ahead", "less (dishes) can be more" and "when the party starts, be in it." Well colour me surprised, shocked even. Who would have thought of that? Things continue in such a vein and whilst one doesn't want to denigrate those who really feel that they need this sort of help, it really starts to border on the facile at times.
The saving grace for this book might be the suggested menus and the 98 recipes (again, what a strange number) provided. Nothing is particularly ground breaking or unique to this book and if you already have a good bookshelf full of recipe books then you can equally find many similar or better recipes. The recipes themselves are reasonably laid out, with average photography and oblivious to the fact that people might cook outside of the United States thanks to their sole reliance on US-centric measures. Internal signposting and navigation is not the best either.
Sadly to say this is a book that one fears is destined to sink without a trace. Artisan usually comes out with some superb titles so it is a surprise that they've put their name to this book. For a collection of hints and tips and a few recipes it is rather average in nature, even if you have no other cookbook or Internet access at home. For a couple of dollars at a remainder store it might be worth it for a quick browse, but other than that it is hard to raise any enthusiasm for this title. It had a lot of promise but the actuality was an entirely different thing.
What's a Hostess to Do?: 313 Ideas and Inspirations for Effortless Entertaining, written by Susan Spungen and published by Artisan. ISBN 9781579653682, 288 pages. Typical price: USD17.95. YY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
July 2, 2013
This is a classic, and will be on my shelf beside Moosewood, Dinner a love story, Bittmann and Betty Crocker (red book).
I bought this in preparation for hosting our own wedding reception and throwing my sister-in-law's bridal shower. Tons of helpful advice!
I bought this in preparation for hosting our own wedding reception and throwing my sister-in-law's bridal shower. Tons of helpful advice!
April 4, 2020
Does your inner 1950's housewife really miss your grandma (an actual 1950's housewife) telling you what to do in terms of the proper way to create, display, and serve a proper meal on a gorgeous table? This book will fill that void. Susan Spungen makes it her job to be flawless and to help the flawed among us be that way, too. At once a deeply practical and ludicrously formal guide, this is a resource to help us make new magic in our entertaining life and push beyond lazy parties grounded by pizzas and potato chips. Spungen will inspire you to get the good dishware out of the back of the cabinet and actually plan a menu. I've always been a big believer in showing a deep respect for guests through artistry and small comforts, and this book was a fascinating look into the many, many ways one can accomplish that. The dinner party is becoming a lost art and I salute Spungen's old school commitment to resurrecting it. I know I'll treasure--and use--this handbook for many, many years to come.
October 27, 2017
Someone gave this to me as a gift one year and I flip through occasionally. I think it’s best suited for those who have just moved into their first place away from their parents or maybe young newly married couples. Pretty standard practices in this book.
March 6, 2020
Handy reference, but plenty of nonessential Info.
December 13, 2013
In the last few years I have made a bit of a habit of hosting parties, dinners, or other get-togethers at our apartment. I’ve started to collect serving pieces and recipes that are perfect for informal gatherings. I purchased this book (for $0.19 cents, btw) hoping I would find some awesome hints and tips I could incorporate into my own planning process. Mostly I kept thinking that the parties described in this book are WAY fancier than even my “fancy” dinners and this book is geared to a hostess who doesn’t have a day job and can braise fancy meats throughout the day or drop by two or three specialty stores a few hours before her guests show up. Um, that’s not really my M.O. I did get a few good ideas, and had a few “A ha!” moments of ways I could simplify my life, but I didn’t learn as much as I was hoping to. Mostly, I would like some magical secret that will make cleaning up a party a breeze, even though I don’t have a dishwasher. (Yes, I use recyclable dishes and flatware, but there is still all the serving bowls, platters, large spoons and any pots or pans to deal with. Basically, you can’t throw a party without generating at least a sink full of dishes.) I’m sure I’ll flip through this book several more times, and I did mark a few appetizer recipes I’d like to try.
May 1, 2014
I purchased this book after it was recommended by Amazon from several other books that I had purchased. I love the design of the book and the information that was given. The later part of the book was mainly recipes. This book provided alot of helpful information on ways to help your party run smoother. I can see myself using this book often to help when I plan parties.
September 13, 2013
When I first saw this book, I was excited! The first half was excellent. The second half was mostly recipes.
I personally was looking for some insights in hosting a party rather than the recipes. I did gain a lot of valuable information.
I personally was looking for some insights in hosting a party rather than the recipes. I did gain a lot of valuable information.
March 27, 2015
Excellent ideas for all kinds of hosting. Much of the book is a bit more grand in scale than what I would do, but Spungen really covers all kinds of occasions from the gala to the wedding to the picnic. A great resource!
March 20, 2014
Not what I was expecting. A bit pretentious and impractical.
November 12, 2013
I love love love this book! I have been going back to it and marked my favorite pages. It inspires me to entertain!
July 31, 2013
soooo many recipes! liked the alternative menus to make life simpler to host
September 13, 2014
Good for a beginner/moderate level host. Step by step suggestions. A handy guide to have around.
January 17, 2015
This was a good book with a number of helpful suggestions and good recipes. Nothing earth-shattering but solid nonetheless.
December 3, 2016
Fun, practical, accessible. I bought one to give to a very young bride-to-be; it will be perfect for her as she breaks in her new kitchen ware. I bought one for myself, too.
January 16, 2018
I really liked this book, read it all the way through the first time and I often refer back to it when I am having people over. Love the litte etiquette sections. The recipes are scattered throughout the book so sometimes it got confusing where to pick up again. Worth the read if you host a lot.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews