I love the idea of inviting people over to share in a beautiful, thoughtfully curated spread on a beautifully decorated table. I can see it in my head. But then everything goes wrong, and they show up to a bag of Doritos, warm soda, and some mustard. I need help getting from idea to execution, and fortunately, Shelly Westerhausen Worcel is here to guide me. Her newest cookbook, Tables and Spreads, is designed for those of us who want to be a domestic goddess and instead just keep turning into dramatic oddness.
Worcel lays everything out step by step, so that her readers can plan, prep, and execute a dinner party, an informal gathering, or even a weeknight dinner that is a well-organized, lovely, inviting spread of finger foods and dips that includes a variety of flavors and textures to satisfy any palette. She thinks of everything I don’t: the design of the table, the theme which you can use to unify the experience, the prep and storage of all your ingredients. She even includes diagrams of wine glasses and cheeses and cheese utensils. She tells you how to cut and cook your vegetables, how to make your meats look abundant on the board, how to add jams or sauces or pickles or dried fruits to add sweetness or tang, and how to fold your napkins to impress.
With checklists and schedules and a chart that shows how much food to buy per guest, Worcel makes the planning so much easier, and she helps you plan out not just the foods but also the tableware, the linens, drinks, the color palette, and the music. She helps you with “The Wow Factor,” making sure your spreads are as memorable for their inviting beauty as they are for the bold flavors and generous mix of foods. She includes over 20 different themes you can choose from, or she helps you plan if you want to go free form. And with over 65 recipes, you can find something that everyone will love.
Each theme comes with a wealth of information and ideas and a few new recipes to add interest and depth. For a classic example, there is The Standard, a classic cheese board featuring 3 different cheeses as well as olives, crackers, honey, and some dried fruit. Then she adds in recipes for Spicy Cantaloupe Jam, Pickled Zucchini Ribbons, and Herby Brown Sugar Nuts. But if you don’t have time to make those, there are store-bought suggestions that will work just as well. She offers ideas for styling and drinks pairing and make-ahead suggestions to make the celebration easier for hosting. And Worcel’s husband Wyatt adds his sidebar with meat suggestions, since she is a vegetarian.
Each of these themes are put together like this, with a wealth of ideas and information to help your event go smoothly. Need something to start your dinner party? Try the Fall Grazing Board, the Burrata Board, or Dips for Dinner. Is it Girls’ Night Out? Go with the Boozy Bloody Mary Bar, the Ladies’ Night Lettuce Wraps, or Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fondue. For holidays, there is the Mother’s Day Spring Minestrone Spread, Christmas Morning Dutch Baby Party, or New Year’s Eve Martini Bar. And there are so many more ideas, for birthdays, breakfast for dinner, Thanksgiving desserts, simple family dinners, or outdoor barbecues.
With fun and flair, flowers and flavors, Worcel brings ideas and inspiration for spreads of all kinds in Tables and Spreads. The photography is gorgeous, bringing these ideas to life in full color, and the creativity is boundless.
There is a lot of information in Tables and Spreads that I can use to be a better host, and I look forward to trying out what I’ve learned. Will I use Worcel’s pre-planned themes? I’m not sure. Some just aren’t right for me (I’m not that much of a drinker, so I probably wouldn’t use any of the spreads dedicated to alcohol), but I love how seeing her spread ideas makes me think of things that will work for me. Overall, I love the organization and creativity of Tables and Spreads, and I think it could help anyone else who struggles with putting together a great spread for family and friends.
Egalleys for Tables and Spreads were provided by Chronicle Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.
