The Art of the Host: Recipes And Rules For Flawless Entertaining

I sometimes think that people purposefully make purchases nowadays simply to troll an author or a subject at large. I was rather surprised at some of the strangely unpleasant and resentful reviews of this book. Put simply, it is gorgeous and gracious and full of timeless advice. If you're one of those people who thinks it's appropriate to sit at someone's table and play with your phone throughout the meal, this book is definitely not for you. However, if you adore good food, good company, and kindred spirits, you'll be refreshed by this book and find it a rare treat. The photos are sumptuous, the recipes are easy to understand, and there are many etiquette hints that will truly make you not only a better host but a better guest. A beautifully set table and a lovingly prepared meal is not snobbery or elitism. It simply means that you enjoy the pleasures of life and sharing them with others. You don't have to be well-off to love this book. And don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise. If you love the idea of a classic, timelessly elegant affair and want some inspiration, buy this book without hesitation!

This book has great advice for both host and guest. The menus are helpful but I would say they are not all simple, some require many steps. The food looks good but most recipes are not healthy at all. So much butter and cream! But, the author does say he’s not about being relevant or healthy which is a little surprising that living in LA hasn’t rubbed off on him when it comes to healthy food. But nevertheless I still like the book. Gorgeous photography and table settings. I have tried the salad dressings which are easy and good and plan to give a few more recipes a try. Looking forward to tipsy ambrosia!

Alex's book is a must-have for anyone who loves to entertain and cook. I especially like his candor about not catering too much to guests' food quirks and allergies. His point is that your the host and you're the one curating the table and the experience. Polite guests will just pass on items that they don't like or can't eat-It's a simple rule but, in our complicated world, we drive ourselves crazy attempting to please everyone. His reminder that salt and fat are important flavor staples is not lost on me. Remember a party is a single event-people may indulge in things they don't eat on a daily basis and it makes for a memorable experience. I agree with him about the importance of Embroidered napkins (prefereably hand embroidery-I hate machine embroidery) I've liked his other book as well, but this may be my new favorite-party planning book. I highly recommend.

Very nice

Thoroughly enjoy Alex Hitz’s The Art of the Host on entertaining! We don’t entertain as much as we’d like to, but love this book as a resource and coffee table staple. It reminds me of parties, brunches my parents hosted growing up in New Orleans. Rugs covered in white muslin so no cigarette ashes (1960s) would stain them, beautiful china, silver and crystal gleaming, but most of all wonderful family and friends laughing and having a good time. Love the fabulous sounding recipes. And monogrammed linens? Definitely Leontine Linens. Gifting a copy of this book to my daughters soon.

Follow the subtle guidelines, observe the use and placement of tablescaping elements, and begin the wonderful “hunt” through through consignment shops, swap meets, garage sales and all the other fascinating venues that can enhance not only your table, but also your life.Gift this text to anyone beginning a truly adult life. I’ve ordered three more to have on hand for spontaneous gifting!

I absolutely love this book. This is a wonderful book for housewarming wedding gift. It has everything practical elements for entertaining to the grand way of throwing a party.Enjoyed the vintage photos of family. How important family can be setting the tone, for what you love and appreciate.

The very worst part of this book is the photo of the African American family cook attending a wedding and he describes her as "all dolled up ", something he would never say about the wealthy white people in every other photo. Outrageously racist.His recipes are dated, not classic, and heavy and he has some weird, even tone-deaf advice. He says that you should never ask your guests if they have food allergies. Maybe not if you're holding a party for 200. But if it's you and your husband and 2 other couples? If someone is allergic to milk, I'd really like to know that so that I can make sure to either accommodate or warn them. These days many people don't drink alcohol-- I would want to have an alternative for them. Actually, when I held a catered event for 100 people, 2 people told me they were vegan and so the caterer had 2 vegan meals prepared for them. It's called taking care of your guests.His obsession with monograms is silly, and his directive that you have 12 place settings of sterling, even cheaper ones is crazy. I happen to have inherited nice sterling for 18 from my grandparents, but that's just luck. Real service is a dinner fork, salad fork, dessert fork, seafood cocktail fork, soup spoon, teaspoon, demitasse spoon, dessert spoon, and if you're from the south, an iced tea spoon is a must. Then there's the dinner and butter knives. That's about $500 - $1000 per person, or $6000 - 12000. And that's not including the $1000 - 2000 in serving pieces. Get a nice set of stainless, or these days mix and match is very chic in flatware, china and glassware. Oh, right, he expects you to have full service for china, crystal and linens (monogrammed of course). Most people can't afford that, and there are ways to set a lovely table and not go in debt.He's just too much in about every way, and it will not help you host.And he is so wrong about always using salted butter. I'm going to go with my culinary teachers and , oh, just about every major cookbook in the past 50 years on that one.

Another great book by this chef/author, love the recipes.

I thought this was a great book filled with wonderful recipes and wonderful tips on entertaining. Very glad I purchased it.