Ok, glad I didn't spend more
I bought Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50 thinking it would help with my frequent hosting of large crowds, but it didn't help at all. It might help IF I needed obscure, expensive ingredients and gourmet friends. I needed something way more practical.
Great Menus for Entertaining!
Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50 has some really spectacular recipes and great entertaining menus and ideas; I can see many family and friends get-togethers or other parties in my future and I'll certainly use Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50. However, I generally plan menus and cook for a crowd in a church setting -- families, students, elderly members, and occasionally, homeless people who are in our inner city neighborhood. Our ability to "stay in business" means we can't afford to buy the types of ingredients many of these recipes require or cook foods that might not have the kind of appeal that personally invited guests would appreciate. More importantly, a lot of the recipes probably take way too much time for volunteers with limited interest and/or ability to prepare. So while it ... Read More
My New Favorite Cookbook
I bought this cookbook because I was preparing to organize the food at a camping retreat for 30, but it turned out to be one of the best everyday cookbooks I own. The cookbook is arranged by type of event, from a small family dinner to a large wedding supper. Most of the recipes are for 20 or less people, although a few are written for 30 or more. The strength of the cookbook is in the emphasis on technique and on pre-preparation, where possible. If a dish can be made a day to a month or more before serving and refrigerated or frozen, the author tells you. The other strength is in outdoor cooking and barbecueing, which was the subject of the author, Susan Wyler's, first cookbook, Tailgate Parties. These recipes are downright inspired. ... Read More
Excellent Resource
Great menu ideas, good recipes.
This cookbook is a gem! A lot of quantity-cooking cookbooks have recipes for things like slop and canned-cream-of-whatever-soup special. Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50 has simple, classy recipes along with strategies for serving a crowd of people.
All of the recipes I have tried from Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50 have been great. Once you see her proportions and suggested quantities, it is also easy to scale other favorite recipes to serve a larger group of people.
This contains recipes and menus for different-sized crowds and for different occasions (from elegent dinners to picnics).
Excellent resource. Highly recommended.
GREAT COOKING IDEAS FOR PARTIES
This is a very practical book, fool of wonderful recipes. Very well written, simple to follow. I've only had a chance to try a couple so far, but with great success. Black and Orange Halloween Party for 24 was simple enough to do, and an instant hit. The Chocolate Chili with Beef, Pork, and Black Beans was to die for. I can't wait to try other dishes from Cooking for a Crowd: Menus, Recipes and Strategies for Entertaining 10 to 50. Highly recommend this cookbook.
