"ENTERTAINS' goes to Atlanta

Last week, we held a preview party for our new book, "Romancing the Home ENTERTAINS", at my friend Lynda's home in Atlanta. We prepared recipes from the book and set inspirational tables in true RTH style, complete with animal prints and rhinestones. This book is all about over the top entertaining in your home, using simple elements that are readily available. Before the party, Lynda and I made a trip to H Market, a chain of asian food stores. We found baby bok choy, small red and green peppers, and exotic mushrooms that we used in our floral displays for extremely low cost. Beautiful baby artichokes and sun dried tomatoes were purchased for the antipasto tray for half the cost of traditional stores. We set a formal table in the dining room, using a cow rug as the tablecloth. Lynda's antique monogrammed crystal was filled with velvet pumpkins with real stems, making everyone ooh and awe over them. On the conservatory table, we used ironstone and zebra print dinnerware with a painter's tarp as the tablecloth. On this floral arrangement, the produce from the asian market was incorporated. But the crowning jewel of this table was the antipasto tray, vibrant with the colors of the cheeses and vegetables. Champagne grapes, fresh figs, pomegranates, and sun dried tomatoes were devoured with cheeses from the local supermarket. But the favorite thing served during the evening was a killer chocolate martini with a chocolate orange stirrer, a clear concoction that tastes like pure liquid chocolate. Guests were delighted by the chocolate taste as the drink is as clear as spring water. But you'll have to get the book to get the recipe!