Handmade Gatherings: Recipes and Crafts for Seasonal Celebrations & Potluck Parties

Food made for sharing--recipes for 16 potluck parties that celebrate the seasons, friends, and delicious food.

Frosty winter fetes, lush springtime soirees, sultry summer get-togethers, and crisp autumn affairs--no matter what the season, it's always a good idea to gather a group of friends to share a celebratory meal or some festive nibbles. This cookbook is the perfect guide for throwing potluck get-togethers where the food truly shines. Create a winter wonderland that serves up comforting foods like Wild Rice-Stuffed Mushrooms, Roasted Salted Figs, and Hot Buttered Rum. Spring to life with early-season dishes like Pistachio-Crusted Asparagus with Feta Vinaigrette, Rhubarb Buttermilk Bread, and Chicken Potpie. Revel in the dog days of summer with an ice cream social, complete with a sundae bar and homemade Blackberry Mint Ice Cream. Celebrate the harvest with an apples to apples party featuring Apple Sage Mac and Cheese, Apple Butter Brie en Croute, and Candied Apples. With creative ideas for making each party special, Handmade Gatherings offers a fresh take on dining with friends.

ASHLEY ENGLISH has degrees in holistic nutrition and sociology. She has worked over the years with a number of nonprofit organizations committed to social and agricultural issues, is a member of Slow Food USA, and writes a regular column for the popular blog Design*Sponge, as well as a column for the quarterly publication Taproot. She is the author of four books in the Homemade Living series (Canning and Preserving, Keeping Chickens, Keeping Bees, Home Dairy), Quench, and A Year of Pies. Ashley and her family live in Candler, North Carolina, where they are converting their land into a thriving homestead. Follow their adventures at www.smallmeasure.com.