Holiday Celebrations
A book by Marie Simmons

The holiday season is a time for festive entertaining, whether the occasion is Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, the first night of Hanukkah, or a gala New Year's soirée. Whether serving a feast that takes all day to cook or a quickly prepared repast, you should be able to enjoy your holiday party as much as your guests do. This volume in the Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles series, with its inspiring collection of celebratory recipes and ideas, will help you achieve that goal.

Holiday Celebrations features 50 outstanding recipes for holiday starters, soups, salads, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. Created by noted food authority Marie Simmons, every recipe is accompanied by a nutritional analysis and a beautiful full-page, full-color photograph.

The book's comprehensive introduction devotes itself to the basics of holiday entertaining, including how to create a memorable scene, decorate and set the table, organize a buffet, and mix and serve beverages. A guide to menu planning suggests 10 festive meals composed from recipes in the book. And a comprehensive glossary provides information on key ingredients and equipment.

Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles, a new series of cookbooks written by noted international food authorities, is devoted to the way people who love good food cook, dine, and entertain today. Each title is prepared under the general editorship of Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma, America's leading cookware stores and catalog.

• (Introduction)
  • Setting the Holiday Scene
  • Decorating the Holiday Table
  • Setting the Place
  • Arranging a Buffet
  • Beverages
  • Planning Menus
• Starters, Soups, & Salads
• Main Dishes
• Side Dishes
• Desserts
• Glossary
• Index

• Mushroom Crostini – Use any combination of fresh mushrooms as long as the total weight is I pound (500 g). Both the crostini and mushroom spread can be made ahead, which makes this a perfect recipe for the busy holiday season.