Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun Hardcover – March 27, 2001

I don’t personally make any of these but my gf hosts parties all the time and this book is one of the two go too’s. Always good little snacksInas food is always on point

For some reason, this was the only one of Ina’s cookbooks that was available only in hardback for years. I have all of her books in hard cover, but I also like them in digital format for shopping and convenience. All of her digital books are easy to navigate through, and the illustrations are clear and sitting next to the recipe, just like in the hard covers. I checked periodically for years, and snatched it up when it was finally available for Kindle. Now I have her complete set on my iPad. As far as the content, it may not be my absolute most favorite Ina cookbook, but it is certainly unique in that it provides full menus for most of the typical parties you are likely to throw. Use the menus as noted, or use them as a springboard for your own ideas. IMHO, Ina is a good solid cook who enjoys making tasty variations on a theme from simple, readily available ingredients. But at heart she is a hostess who enjoys touching the lives of her family and friends with meals cooked with love. So in a sense, this cookbook gives us insight into her entertaining style in a way that her other books do not. If your funds are very low and you can only afford one of her cookbooks, I suggest starting with Back to Basics or Foolproof (or even Paris if you’ve been there and yearn to go back). But if you already have a few and want to expand your library, this is a worthy one to add to your collection.

Asian Chicken Salad is the absolute best. Reading the story in the front of the book was fun too.

I'm a fan and love her recipes

I own all of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbooks and I love them all, but this is my lease favorite. If you love Ina and her food as much as I do, you will find recipes you love in this one too. But if you are only looking to buy one or two of her cookbooks, I would suggest  Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home  or  Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family  instead.I am not a fan of "party" style cookbooks. I much prefer cookbooks to be arranged by course or main ingredient and then list suggested menus in the back. Parties contains sixteen different party menus (Sunday Breakfast, Academy Awards, Football, Valentine's, etc.) for each occasion with a varying number of courses or recipes for each menu. Shockingly, considering this is my least favorite Ina cookbook, there are quite a few standout recipes, including:Sunday Breakfast's Sour Cream Coffee CakeCanoe Trip's Pasta, Pesto, and Peas and Lemon Cake (this one may be worth the price of the book alone)Outdoor Grill's Endive and Avacado SaladAutumn Dinner's Salad with Warm Goat CheeseValentine's Dinner's Sauteed Cabbage (I only eat cabbage in a Fish Taco or sauteed like this-- couldn't be more delicious!)I would recommend this cookbook (especially after reviewing all the recipes I love listed above).

Love the fact that I can always depend on Ina's recipes to be tried and tested!!

This book was part of a bridal shower gift for my niece. I love the Barefoot Contessa and have every one of her books, they are awesome and the recipes are delicious and fairly easy. This book that I purchased is one of my favorites. It is packed with totally yummy recipes for a party or entertaining on a smaller scale. I cannot tell you how many times I have made her Spinach Gratin or the Strawberry Country cake or the Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel. The Pasta Pesto and Peas is a wonderful side dish and a great addition to any meal and especially Summer barbecues! I could go on an on, but see for yourself how wonderful this book and all of The Barefoot Contessa books are!!

This is a must-have for your cookbook collection! I've watched Ina on Food Network for a while but this was the first cookbook of hers that I bought. There are beautiful pictures of every single recipe (yay!) and the recipes are so delicious! The low down on what I've tried:Shrimp salad - Even friends who don't like shrimp loved this salad. Very easy and so good!Chinese chicken salad - Great foundation recipe; added shredded cabbage, carrots and cilantro.Pasta, pesto and peas - A whole bowl of pasta pesto is normally too much of the same basil oil flavor for me, but this recipe makes it delicious and so easy to eat bowls and bowls of it! I added some sundried tomatoes for a little more zip.Lemon cake - One of the yummiest desserts EVER! Added a side of mashed raspberries but also great alone.Asian grilled salmon - It's a little on the salty side but the flavor is great.Grilled herb shrimp with mango salsa - Hands down, the best shrimp I've had at home, at a restaurant, anywhere! You'll be totally wowed! I didn't think the mango salsa was necessary at all though.Potato pancakes with caviar - I didn't add the caviar, but the pancakes with just the creme fraiche was super tasty!I've never been disappointed with any of Ina's recipes - she rocks!

I love ina garten cookbooks she makes the most difficult things achievable. This book is great if you are planning parties and get togethers, it not only has great recipes, some you can reduce the size of the ingredients for smaller family meals, it gives sound advice on how to plan ahead and get things right taking away the stress. The chapters are seasonal but can be adapted to any time of year and to the size of group you cater for.

have always liked her style of cooking however, am getting irritated when buying her books thinking you are getting the recipe you want, the book then refers to another of her books which you have to buy to get what you want, not happy!

Reminds me California / Burgundy - yes both, who is watching, and been there understands ! Superb.

Lovely book with clear pictures and precise recipes. I have several of Ina's books and so therefore I do find that her recipes are repeated occasionally. Nevertheless, I enjoy reading her books and her recipes always work well. I do adjust the salt content as it's far too high.

An American Contessa she may be but in addition Ina Garten lays the foundations for some wonderful parties. The preparation is all pretty easy on us as people and also on our pockets for the ingedients