Now, I am not an award winning hostess nor chef by any stretch of the imagination, but with Paricia Mendez’ book at hand, I can now hold my head high when I need to take something for a pot luck, make the 4th of July entertaining or even create a Christmas season social which would make my mother, “the Queen of the Kitchen“, proud.

Reviewed on 05/09/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Susan Pettrone

Patricia Mendez has created a wonderful primer for the novice entertainer in her book, "Easy Entertaining for Beginners." Mendez offers 13 tasty party menu ideas complete with beverage and music selections.

Chapter titles include "My First Cocktail Party," "Romantic Dinner for Two," "Dinner for the In-Laws," "Girlfriends' Tea," Mother's Day Brunch," "Family Fiesta," "Fourth of July Bash," "Two Themed Children's Birthday Parties," "Dinner Party with Close Friends," "Guys' Night Out," "My First Thanksgiving," and "Christmas Season Social."

My favorite menu items include Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts on Mini-Croissants (from the Girlfriends' Tea menu), Carne Asada (from the Family Fiesta menu) and Cheddar Hash Brown Gratin (from the Christmas Season Social menu).

Mendez's dessert and beverage offerings are fantastic and include Kahlua Fudge Brownie Pie, Cointreau Chocolate Truffles and Strawberries, Hurricanes, Cosmopolitans, Guava Mimosas, Pomegranate Sparkling Punch, and more.

Mendez also offers practical advice and etiquette tips for each celebration. She puts the reader at ease and makes them believe they'll be able to execute a fun party. And for people like me who lack organization skills, she has even included a checklist for each party that includes a timeline of when to do what -- I love that!

"Easy Entertaining for Beginners" has won the following awards: 2009 Silver Recipient Mom's Choice Award, 2008 National Best Books Finalist, First Place cooking category: 2008 Reader Views Literary Awards, and 2009 Indie Excellence Finalist.

I highly recommend this book for the novice, and not so novice, entertainer.

Reviewed on 08/20/2009 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Darcy Odden

Easy Entertaininf for Beginners:  You Can Throw a Fabulous Party, from Holiday Fiesta to a Romantic Evening for Two
by Patricia Mendez

DONT LET THE TITLE FOOL YOU!

This is a jewel of a book and its not just for beginners, as the title implies! The step-by-step processes outlined at the end of each chapter are invaluable!  I am a seasoned cook  that makes everything basically by "eye."  I have had many of dinner parties, cook outs, holiday gathering meals etc and would have LOVED to have this type of instruction to go by!   The instructions start days BEFORE and continue in increments until AFTER the party or dinner!
How many parties would I have enjoyed MORE if I would have been more prepared? ALL OF THEM!

There are 12 great chapters and 166 pages of great information!  The suggestions start for a romantic dinner for two and builds up to a full blown celebration.  There are  classic recipes like mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie given in the book along side of some NEW recipes such as kahlua chocolate pie and  Cosmopolatins .  Each chapter is complete with instructions, recipes, suggestions, beverage recommendations as well as a "time line."  There is even a CRAFT including in the little girls tea!  How very appropriate and creative Ms. Mendez is!

Patricia Mendez has successfully filled a missing link in my cook book collection. Her outlook and odeas are fresh and unique.   After thumbing through the book and marking several recipes it inspired me to plan a fall cookout!

This book has a "Moms Choice Award for Excellence" on the front cover.   I am not sure what the criteria is for that award but I am sure Ms. Mendez didn't only meet them but surpassed them!  This book is truly outstanding and  an inspiration for all cooks, both young and old, novice and expert!

In the middle of the book  is where you find the photographs that she has taken of some of the food in the recipes of the book.  The photographs are great and present the food well. The lighting and the presentation are top rate.  If I had any complaints about the book at all, it would be that I would prefer for the pictures to be with the recipes rather than in the center of the book.

The end of the book is a delight: closing thoughts, kitchen basics, conversion chart, substitutes and an index that makes everything easy to find.  These rereference pages (in my humble opinion) should be readily available in all recipe books, rather than a chosen few.  They are not only helpful but handy when included in the book   I think Ms. Mendez
thought of everything but the preverbial kitchen sink when she wrote this book! :)

So like I said , don't let the title hold you back from purchasing this book!  It would be a great gift or addition to your cookbook collections!   Happy Entertaining Ya'll!





 

Reviewed on 08/11/2009 by ReviewTheBook.com Member angela henley

I was extremely excited when I received this book. I am an avid entertainer and always on the look out for something new and fresh.

With easy to follow directions and helpful hints and 15 pages of colorful photographs of the featured recipes…a fact I found remarkably helpful in making sure I had the presentation looking it best…Easy Entertaining for Beginners has become instrumental in my party planning.

Easy Entertaining for Beginners was a great success in helping me plan my small get together. I enjoy cooking and have three children who conveniently love my cooking. I invited a few close friends and family to be my 'guinea pigs' and try some of the recipes in the book.

The Coconut Salmon on page went down a treat with even my fussiest family members. I then gave the children the Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese filling from page 98 and the Kahlua Fudge Brownie Pie on page 29 to the 'adults'. These two desserts were loved, I realized early that I was not anticipating everyone's reaction to these delicious recipes.

I experimented with the easy to follow menus to cater for individual tastes. Since I have been using Easy Entertaining for Beginners I have found planning and executing dinner parties, romantic dinners and even an 8yr old girl's "High Tea" party, to be completely stress free and fast, leaving myself with plenty of time to enjoy the festivities. I am looking forward to Christmas and following Chapter 12: Christmas Season Special, beginning on page 149.

Being in Australia, the temperatures and measuring systems differ from the US and I was delighted to find an easy to follow conversion charts on pages 165 and 166. With Fahrenheit and Celsius conversion, ingredient equivalents, and an Imperial, Metric and U.S. liquid conversion chart that I found to be a lifesaver.

Easy Entertaining for Beginners has made my life a lot easier and introduced my family to some wonderful combinations of flavors I would never have thought to try. I am no longer pulling out my hair trying to decide on something different to serve. Many of the recipes found in this book complement each other and can be combined to create a different menu than that illustrated in the book.

Reviewed on 07/30/2009 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Tina Evans