In this extra-special updated edition of Mary Berry’s popular entertaining cookbook, Mary makes cooking for gatherings of family and friends easy, with over 160 recipes that work well for both small and large parties.
Lavish new photography and bonus festive recipes make this edition a precious self-purchase or an ideal gift for any Mary fan.
You’ll discover how Mary cooks for her family and friends during the Christmas party season, and for other occasions and celebrations throughout the year. Timeless guidance and expert tips will help you cater successfully on a small scale for dinners and lunches around a table, or on a larger scale for drinks parties, buffets and teatime. Adapting quantities is made easy.
Recipes provide two sets of ingredients for serving either 6 or 12 guests, plus there is new advice on how to scale up recipes for any number. Discover tips for preparing in advance, simple shortcuts and stylish presentation ideas – and cook up a feast the stress-free way with Mary.
Entertaining with Mary Berry: Favorite Hors d’Oeuvres, Entr�es, Desserts, Baked Goods, and More by Mary Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love Mary Berry. Much baking wisdom. So far I’ve enjoyed the variety of savory and sweet recipes this cookbook has to offer. Lots of recipes, great for people who want to have a reference of go-to entertainment recipes from a collection that ranges from quick to more delicate as well as a variety of prepare ahead choices to make your party less cumbersome on the chosen day.
Cuisine
Features mostly British classic cuisine at its core, though some can easily be tailored to other regional/cultural/dietary experiences and preferences.
Some felt like balance or flavor could have been improved or a bit more creative, such as the potato galette recipe, which was quite rich and missing either an acid or fresh aspect that I felt would have made it exceptionally good, rather than meh.
Some are more geared toward inspiration, such as sandwiches, with ingredient listing rather than instructional how-to which is great for drumming up ideas.
Often single-serve, some more farm-style, shared.
Presentation is there, though not much of a main consideration or emphasis as most of the recipes are nice enough as is but could be dolled up with some sprinkles of garnish for a more festive appearance.
Versatility and Conversions
Ingredients have both metric and imperial measurements, volume and weight, tailoring to 6 or 12 servings, and instructions are clear.
Instruction
It is to the point, not much on recipe story or inspiration which is great for when you just want a cookbook that is a get-to-the-point collection of recipes you want to narrow down without being bogged down by narration or too much step-by-step detail.
Photography
Photos are mostly the finished products which makes it easy to navigate the book, feeling less cluttered as I flipped through. It’s nice to flip through recipes that are one, occasionally two page dedicated.
Features
Some recipes include tips for freezing and storing which is a nice touch.
View all my reviews
Kimchi Stew
