Dinner After Dark: Sexy, Sumptuous Supper Soirees
Stylish entertaining is easy, assures lifestyle guru and party-planner Cowie: all it takes is "exciting drinks, tasty food, interesting conversation, a good mix of music, a relaxed host, and the proper timing." It sounds like a tall order, but Cowie (who has organized weddings for Kelsey Grammer, Lisa Kudrow and Jerry Seinfeld and boasts oodles of famous friends) offers a sumptuous but straightforward guide to throwing the most successful party in town. Each chapter presents a dinner party complete with recipes for cocktails, appetizers, entrees and desserts, plus tips on decorating (Cowie loves candles) and making guests feel welcome. Cowie's Bombay Soirée features Stir-Fried Shrimp with Lemon and Scallions, several raitas and other accompaniments, plus beer shandies for thirst-quenching; his Fashion Week, NYC dinner party showcases Salt-Crusted Wild Striped Bass with Braised Fennel and Garlic Aioli, with Campari drinks for the quaffing. The recipes are delicious, and uncomplicated enough to allow the host to enjoy her own party; the problem here is that this guide leans toward the smug and smarmy. The photographs highlight gorgeous women noshing on Cowie's creations, while the text purrs over the successful designers, producers and actors who also sat around the table. Cowie also strains the adjectives "chic," "stylish" and "fabulous" through sheer overuse. "Time spent with friends and family around the dinner table...is the most precious of all," he writes, but his high-concept party plans can feel trendy and staged rather than cozy and authentic. First serial in InStyle. 300 color photos not seen by PW.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.