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Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion
Mary Berg--winner of MasterChef Canada and star of
Mary's Kitchen Crush
--shares her most delicious, stress-free recipes, grand enough for special celebrations and easy enough for a regular Tuesday night.
Everyone knows that a good party always ends up in the kitchen, whether you're grabbing a drink, tasting a dish, or just chatting with the host and other guests. That's because the kitchen is the heart of every home, big or small. But sometimes entertaining (even casually) can feel daunting or overwhelming, with all the planning, shopping, cooking, and clean up. Enter Mary Berg . . .
In her first book, TV star and home cook Mary Berg is here to banish any anxiety about preparing food for the people you love. All of Mary's recipes are meant to be laid down on a table that is groaning under the weight of delicious food and relaxed elbows. Kitchen Party is filled with Mary's family-style favorites for brunches, dinners, and special occasions--along with some of her famous baked goods and desserts, of course. You'll find over 100 simple, straightforward and mouthwateringly-good recipes for dishes like Blueberry Cheesecake French Toast Bake with Apple Cinnamon Syrup; Ricotta, Roasted Grapes and Hazelnut Tartines; Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream; and Slablova (aka Pavlova for a Crowd). And with Mary's tips and suggested menu pairings for multiple occasions, from Mother's Day Brunch to a Low-Key Bridal Shower, you'll never find yourself short of ideas.
Whether you're cooking for a big crowd of friends or hosting a romantic dinner for two, Mary is here to guide you using the warmth and cooking skills that have already made her a beloved voice of encouragement for all types of home cooks.
Everyone knows that a good party always ends up in the kitchen, whether you're grabbing a drink, tasting a dish, or just chatting with the host and other guests. That's because the kitchen is the heart of every home, big or small. But sometimes entertaining (even casually) can feel daunting or overwhelming, with all the planning, shopping, cooking, and clean up. Enter Mary Berg . . .
In her first book, TV star and home cook Mary Berg is here to banish any anxiety about preparing food for the people you love. All of Mary's recipes are meant to be laid down on a table that is groaning under the weight of delicious food and relaxed elbows. Kitchen Party is filled with Mary's family-style favorites for brunches, dinners, and special occasions--along with some of her famous baked goods and desserts, of course. You'll find over 100 simple, straightforward and mouthwateringly-good recipes for dishes like Blueberry Cheesecake French Toast Bake with Apple Cinnamon Syrup; Ricotta, Roasted Grapes and Hazelnut Tartines; Flank Steak with Horseradish Cream; and Slablova (aka Pavlova for a Crowd). And with Mary's tips and suggested menu pairings for multiple occasions, from Mother's Day Brunch to a Low-Key Bridal Shower, you'll never find yourself short of ideas.
Whether you're cooking for a big crowd of friends or hosting a romantic dinner for two, Mary is here to guide you using the warmth and cooking skills that have already made her a beloved voice of encouragement for all types of home cooks.
- GenresCookbooksNonfiction
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2019
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99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 4, 2019
Kitchen Party is really an extension of Mary's Kitchen Crush (the television program she went on to host after winning season 3 of MasterChef Canada. For the format of her program she would choose a theme, invite friends and family over, and show the viewer how she would cook amazing food to celebrate the people she loves most in life) but instead of the home cook watching Berg for tips and recipes on how to host dinner guests and cook delicious food, the home cook can use Berg's cookbook to plan and execute their own food-related occasions from beautiful brunches to birthday celebrations (and everything in between). I really appreciate how Berg emphasizes the importance of being together with friends and family to share a meal -- it's not about perfection but easy, darn tasty food that everyone can enjoy together. Even the title of the book "kitchen party" harkens to the way East Coast Canadians have mastered the art of informal gatherings. And, it's this easygoing way of cooking and entertaining that Berg offers in her book.
Throughout the 5 main chapters -- Brunch Parties, Cocktail Parties, Dinner Parties, Special Occasion Menus, and Party of Two -- that Berg offers a variety of delicious recipes that are simple to prepare and are perfect for sharing. With over 100 recipes -- drinks, appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts -- there are countless ways to feed your friends and family. Even though I haven't hosted any gatherings during the time I've been cooking from Kitchen Party, I've found that the recipes also suit weeknight cooking as well. There are several recipes that I've made for dinner just for the three of us. And, her recipes are easy to scale -- if I don't want to cook for a group of 6 or 8, I can change the amount of ingredients used to better suit cooking for my small family on a weeknight. Ingredients are easy to source as everything used in her cookbook can be found at the grocery store or local market. One point to note: Berg doesn't indicate whether the recipes suit different dietary needs (gluten free, vegan, vegetarian) so it's up to the home cook to search these recipes out for themselves. I found enough vegetarian recipes that piqued my interest (I cook for my family of 3 vegetarians).
Breakfast for dinner is one of our favourite things so, of course, I borrowed from Berg's beautiful brunch chapter for one of these meals. Her recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Dutch Babies is delicious! The classic lemon-poppy seed pairing (ingredient BFFs!) worked well with the Dutch baby pancake. If you're unfamiliar with them, then it's totally worth it to give it a try! Like a cross between a crepe and pancake this gorgeous recipe gets baked in the oven on a cast iron skillet. There's a simple joy to watching the batter slowly rise up the sides of the skillet as it bakes (my daughter loves this part!) and, as soon as it's out of the oven, this puffy, oven-baked pancake begins to deflate and droop around the edges. It might sound a bit sad but don't worry! There's a bit of a well in the centre that you can fill with berries, more butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup! It's a great way to serve people warm pancakes all at the same time and to take standing at the stove and flipping each pancake out of the equation.
A dead-easy recipe with an enormous impact is Berg's Beet Terrine -- roasted and sliced into thin disks, the beets are then layered a few times in a loaf pan with goat cheese and chopped pistachios. When the final dish is turned out of the loaf pan, drizzled with balsamic reduction and sprinkled with more pistachios it looks spectacular (to the point that when I served this along side a regular Wednesday meal Katie exclaimed, "Wow Mom! We're getting fancy stuff tonight!"). This is even a great recipe to have younger home chefs help with -- the layering of ingredients is an easy task for a kid to help with. And, it was decided on that Wednesday night that this recipe, could indeed, be served to guests!
Another low-prep, high impact recipe is the Tomato Oven Risotto. As Berg claims in her recipe head notes, "I am here to banish the myth that risotto is a tricky, time-consuming dish to make" and with this recipe that's exactly what she does! After making it for my family, what I could appreciate is how the oven does most of the work which allowed me to get other things done in the kitchen. The resulting dish is so incredibly flavourful that looking at the picture I took and thinking about that meal makes my mouth water. This risotto is so creamy and delicious your guest will swear that you slaved over a hot stove to bring them such a beautiful dish. The way that Berg makes cooking seemingly difficult recipes so easy is a testament to her fundamental belief behind being a good host -- it's not about how much time you spend cooking but how much time you spend with your guests. She proves that cooking delicious food shouldn't be anxiety inducing.
It was so lovely to bake up her Food Processor Flourless Chocolate Cake – it’s not often (if ever) that I’d pull out my food processor to make a cake. The technique works and the resulting cake is so decadent and rich! Perfect for any type of get together. When my daughter and I made this cake, instead of adding berries to the top of the whipped mascarpone cream we went a bit extra and added a glorious dulce de leche drizzle. Any way you top it, it is such a luxe cake (and, the food processor does most of the work -- bonus!).
Mary Berg joyfully shows home cooks how to host beautiful, welcoming gatherings by offering delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that are sure to make your guest feel special. Her love of cooking and culinary knowledge infuses Kitchen Party and makes it an essential book to include in your cookbook library. It's a book for anyone who wants to share a great time and excellent food with friends and family.
Please note that this review is an excerpt of one posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Appetite by Random House for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Throughout the 5 main chapters -- Brunch Parties, Cocktail Parties, Dinner Parties, Special Occasion Menus, and Party of Two -- that Berg offers a variety of delicious recipes that are simple to prepare and are perfect for sharing. With over 100 recipes -- drinks, appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts -- there are countless ways to feed your friends and family. Even though I haven't hosted any gatherings during the time I've been cooking from Kitchen Party, I've found that the recipes also suit weeknight cooking as well. There are several recipes that I've made for dinner just for the three of us. And, her recipes are easy to scale -- if I don't want to cook for a group of 6 or 8, I can change the amount of ingredients used to better suit cooking for my small family on a weeknight. Ingredients are easy to source as everything used in her cookbook can be found at the grocery store or local market. One point to note: Berg doesn't indicate whether the recipes suit different dietary needs (gluten free, vegan, vegetarian) so it's up to the home cook to search these recipes out for themselves. I found enough vegetarian recipes that piqued my interest (I cook for my family of 3 vegetarians).
Breakfast for dinner is one of our favourite things so, of course, I borrowed from Berg's beautiful brunch chapter for one of these meals. Her recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Dutch Babies is delicious! The classic lemon-poppy seed pairing (ingredient BFFs!) worked well with the Dutch baby pancake. If you're unfamiliar with them, then it's totally worth it to give it a try! Like a cross between a crepe and pancake this gorgeous recipe gets baked in the oven on a cast iron skillet. There's a simple joy to watching the batter slowly rise up the sides of the skillet as it bakes (my daughter loves this part!) and, as soon as it's out of the oven, this puffy, oven-baked pancake begins to deflate and droop around the edges. It might sound a bit sad but don't worry! There's a bit of a well in the centre that you can fill with berries, more butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup! It's a great way to serve people warm pancakes all at the same time and to take standing at the stove and flipping each pancake out of the equation.
A dead-easy recipe with an enormous impact is Berg's Beet Terrine -- roasted and sliced into thin disks, the beets are then layered a few times in a loaf pan with goat cheese and chopped pistachios. When the final dish is turned out of the loaf pan, drizzled with balsamic reduction and sprinkled with more pistachios it looks spectacular (to the point that when I served this along side a regular Wednesday meal Katie exclaimed, "Wow Mom! We're getting fancy stuff tonight!"). This is even a great recipe to have younger home chefs help with -- the layering of ingredients is an easy task for a kid to help with. And, it was decided on that Wednesday night that this recipe, could indeed, be served to guests!
Another low-prep, high impact recipe is the Tomato Oven Risotto. As Berg claims in her recipe head notes, "I am here to banish the myth that risotto is a tricky, time-consuming dish to make" and with this recipe that's exactly what she does! After making it for my family, what I could appreciate is how the oven does most of the work which allowed me to get other things done in the kitchen. The resulting dish is so incredibly flavourful that looking at the picture I took and thinking about that meal makes my mouth water. This risotto is so creamy and delicious your guest will swear that you slaved over a hot stove to bring them such a beautiful dish. The way that Berg makes cooking seemingly difficult recipes so easy is a testament to her fundamental belief behind being a good host -- it's not about how much time you spend cooking but how much time you spend with your guests. She proves that cooking delicious food shouldn't be anxiety inducing.
It was so lovely to bake up her Food Processor Flourless Chocolate Cake – it’s not often (if ever) that I’d pull out my food processor to make a cake. The technique works and the resulting cake is so decadent and rich! Perfect for any type of get together. When my daughter and I made this cake, instead of adding berries to the top of the whipped mascarpone cream we went a bit extra and added a glorious dulce de leche drizzle. Any way you top it, it is such a luxe cake (and, the food processor does most of the work -- bonus!).
Mary Berg joyfully shows home cooks how to host beautiful, welcoming gatherings by offering delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that are sure to make your guest feel special. Her love of cooking and culinary knowledge infuses Kitchen Party and makes it an essential book to include in your cookbook library. It's a book for anyone who wants to share a great time and excellent food with friends and family.
Please note that this review is an excerpt of one posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.wordpress.com
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Appetite by Random House for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
December 9, 2019
It looks easy and interesting but I haven't attempted any of the recipes yet.
August 27, 2020
I was so excited to attain Mary’s first cookbook because I love watching her on TV and her recipes always look so interesting....and easy. I have to say I was disappointed while I was reading through the pages. Her ingredients are not always ones found in the ‘everyday’ cooks pantry but that’s ok for a few recipes. Where I became frustrated is with the format of the instructions. I spent 34 years in the food and nutrition field, specifically teaching high school nutrition and family cooking. My students represent the ‘everyday cook’ and, like me, like to follow step by step instructions, not a paragraph with other tips included, where I lose my place, need to reread, etc. A simple step by step is easier to follow. Hints are appreciated but they can be added in a separate paragraph or bullet at the end or in her introduction of the recipe, which I do enjoy reading. For sure, I will sample some of the recipes but I will mark up the book by adapting to step by step. Mary is a most inventive chef and has an amazing knack for the combining of flavours.
I do look forward to more books from her but hope she will take some of her critiques to heart.
I do look forward to more books from her but hope she will take some of her critiques to heart.
January 21, 2020
I was really looking forward to going through this cookbook by Mary Berg, as I love her style and her recipes . She is a joyful cook and her TV show, Kitchen Crush is so much fun I always want to try each and every recipe.
BUT... this cook book was a disappointment. Very few of the recipes appealed to my tastes. A few I will try, the zucchini oven fries sounds amazing and her herb salad with her go-to dressing will be on our dinner table tomorrow.
The content of the book is beautifully done, the photos are wonderful and it evokes Mary's style from her TV show.
BUT... this cook book was a disappointment. Very few of the recipes appealed to my tastes. A few I will try, the zucchini oven fries sounds amazing and her herb salad with her go-to dressing will be on our dinner table tomorrow.
The content of the book is beautifully done, the photos are wonderful and it evokes Mary's style from her TV show.
November 12, 2021
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒏. 𝑲𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒐𝒅."
After watching Mary Berg on Master Chef Canada (season 3) and falling in love with her on her cooking show Mary’s Kitchen Crush, I knew I had to pick up her first cookbook and test it out!
Mary creates a cookbook around the theme of enjoying food with the ones you love (the East Coast tradition of gathering in the kitchen!). All the recipes are featured around a central idea like “brunch parties for the early birds among us,” “cocktail parties for an indecisive host” and “party of two for the romantics (and non-romantics) in the crowd.” I loved the theme ideas, and the fact that were whole menus already planned out. Mary’s personality shines through in the captions before the recipes. The directions were simple to follow, and most of the ingredients very accessible. Everything I tested turned out so well and was SO tasty (Berg’s Burgs and Oven-Baked Zucchini Fries were especially tasty). In fact, since I borrowed this from the library, I already know I’m going to have to buy it to try out more of the recipes! The photographs were gorgeous and inspiring; my only complaint is that some photos featured two recipes, which meant that you had to do some flipping around to either find the recipe or the photo.
I loved Kitchen Party (and now have some go-to recipes from it too). Now that I’m watching Mary’s newest show, Mary Makes It Easy, I’m inspired to check out her newest cookbook too.
After watching Mary Berg on Master Chef Canada (season 3) and falling in love with her on her cooking show Mary’s Kitchen Crush, I knew I had to pick up her first cookbook and test it out!
Mary creates a cookbook around the theme of enjoying food with the ones you love (the East Coast tradition of gathering in the kitchen!). All the recipes are featured around a central idea like “brunch parties for the early birds among us,” “cocktail parties for an indecisive host” and “party of two for the romantics (and non-romantics) in the crowd.” I loved the theme ideas, and the fact that were whole menus already planned out. Mary’s personality shines through in the captions before the recipes. The directions were simple to follow, and most of the ingredients very accessible. Everything I tested turned out so well and was SO tasty (Berg’s Burgs and Oven-Baked Zucchini Fries were especially tasty). In fact, since I borrowed this from the library, I already know I’m going to have to buy it to try out more of the recipes! The photographs were gorgeous and inspiring; my only complaint is that some photos featured two recipes, which meant that you had to do some flipping around to either find the recipe or the photo.
I loved Kitchen Party (and now have some go-to recipes from it too). Now that I’m watching Mary’s newest show, Mary Makes It Easy, I’m inspired to check out her newest cookbook too.
October 15, 2019
Excellent! Great ideas with beautiful execution. Highly recommended
February 23, 2020
Visually appealing but not really my type of cuisine
July 1, 2020
I read the electronic version. Couldn’t see the Recipes. Other than that, Mary Berg is an incredible cook and teacher.
July 10, 2020
Great recipes that are relatively simple to make.
November 18, 2025
referances for meatless or meatful dinners
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews