Deep South Parties: How to Survive the Southern Cocktail Hour Without a Box of French Onion Soup Mix, A Block of Processed Cheese, or A Cocktail Weenie

by Robert St. John

The engaging, entertaining, and downright hilarious author of Deep South Staples returns with an irresistible guide to entertaining, Southern-style Southern cooks are known as some of the best, most welcoming hosts in the world, setting out spreads filled with hearty, homey, and heavenly fare, enough to feed an army. And no Southerner knows how to entertain better than Robert St. John, chef, food columnist, and bon vivant extraordinaire. In his new cookbook, Deep South Parties , he puts his own twist on cooking for a crowd, showing readers which recipes work best for which occasions, how to entertain large groups with ease, how to throw the liveliest holiday parties in town, and much more. With recipes like Sweet Potato Nachos with Boursin, Pecans, and Roasted Red Pepper; Yellowfin Tuna Tartar with Avocado Relish and Wonton Chips; Crabmeat Won Tons with Sweet Chili Pepper Sauce; and Bourbon Pecan Truffles, this is entertaining with a Southern flair, sure to please crowds from coast to coast.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking

272 pages, Hardcover

First published October 10, 2006

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I haven't made any of the recipes, yet, but there are lots of really tasty-looking ones, and there are good stories, too. Three recipes for pimento cheese - one of them may just make it okay for me to try eating that again. I thought the title was funny and so the recipes might be, too, but the actual recipes are serious cooking for people who like to eat. There's a wide variety of involvement and effort across the items, but they are all geared to party food preparations. There's also little helpful hints of food entertaining scattered throughout.

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the recipes and the format of this fun cookbook. These vintage looking black and white photos were great. The author is a food writer/humorist so the mini essays were enjoyable. I was hooked from recipe 3 which was for red beans, andouille sausage and rice "egg rolls" with creole dipping sauce. Sounds good to me!

[Lenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting to browse through...although it had some strange recipes. One of the recipes was called "Fried Garlic and Goat-Cheese Grits with Blackberry-Tasso Chutney." I think most of us southerners like good old-fashioned grits with butter or cheese.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've now hosted three parties with food drawn exclusively from this cookbook. I love the recipe for dirty rice; the seafood recipes are fantastic. And I don't think I can live without Fig Butter.

A great book for cocktail and appetizer parties. Everything from this cookbook has been a hit.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Deep South girl and I want to own this book! Didn't get a chance to cook any of the recipes yet, but I am planning on it. Great twists on southern recipes, makes me want to throw a party with finger foods and cocktails.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook. No cans of Soup!!!!!!

Lots of Southern Party Food with essays to go with.