Entertaining at Home is both a gentle guide and beautiful book filled with stories and anecdotes shared amongst friends. Entertaining at Home is as much for the consummate entertainer as it is for the novice looking for some tried and true strategies. Part recipe collection, part entertaining guide, this gorgeous collection of entertaining ideas will inspire both the novice as well as the veteran hostess. From the heart of Texas to coastal New England - and everywhere in between, a wealth of mouth-watering images, recipes and how tos ( flower arranging, playlist curating, cocktail curation, table setting) will have you ready and wanting to entertain no matter the season!

You will immediately lose yourself in the pages as you feast your eyes on all the wonderful recipes, table settings and glimpses into all the spectacular homes. Enjoy this book with a glass of wine or hot cup of tea, in front of a cozy fire or out on a warm, breezy porch - You’ll want to have a pad of paper and pen in hand as you begin to jot down your own ideas and create your own guest list.

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I first met Ronda about 8 years ago. Then living in Scotland, she was in New York elbow-deep working on her first book, Designers at Home, a gorgeous book that brought us into the homes of the world’s most sought after designer. In September her second book, Entertaining at Home, was released. I received my gorgeous copy in the mail and instantly began devouring it. This stunning book brings us into the homes of designers, chefs and tastemakers, who share with us their tips and strategies to creating memorable occasions and parties.

I had hoped to see Ronda in Newport, at the home of Bettie Pardee, this past summer but life got in the way. Child obligations prevented me from attending her book signing in New York, but I was thrilled to finally be able to catch her in New Preston, Connecticut this past weekend where she and designer and contributor Amy Beth Cupp were signing copies in the town’s charming shop, Privet House.

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ENTERTAINING AT HOME contains a variety of delectable and easy-to-master recipes, such as bacon-wrapped pretzels, seafood chowder, spicy gazpacho, and refreshing sangrias. In addition to Ronda’s own Soup on Sunday fête:

•Jay Draper and Mark Thompson, owners of Shoppe in Birmingham, host brunch in their greenhouse.

•Debbie Propst, president of One King’s Lane, perfects the lazy breakfast.

•Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, lifestyle maven, pulls together a most befitting Mother’s Day brunch.

•Sarah Eilers, designer and gardener makes breakfast in the garden a memorable meal. •Grace Kaynor, interior designer and bridge aficionado offers a chic alternative to game night with an intimate game brunch.

•Lynn Wyatt, social icon and international philanthropist, does lunch on her ranch, Texas style!

•Katie Scott, New Orleans-native and Houston-based interior designer, whips up a Creole feast emblematic of Southern hospitality.

•Cris Briger, of Briger Design,lays out a smorgasbord of Nordic treats that warm winter appetites.

•Ware Porter embraces the All-American meatloaf favored by Bill Blass, served among the many layers of his colorful and whimsical camelback home in New Orleans.

•Tricia Foley, the lifestyle doyenne with a penchant for all things blanc, hosts a natural lunch on Long Island.

•Amy Beth Cupp makes a bountiful barn lunch in Connecticut a true reflection of her artistic roots.

•Mac Hoak and Fred Perkins, owners of Mecox Gardens,create a stylish spread of salad buffets to encourage wandering around the garden.

•Suzanne Kasler, a lover of all things Parisian,creates an ooh-la-la lunch at her Regency-style home in Atlanta.

•Denise and Scott McGaha do BBQ right in their Dallas backyard, as only an interior designer and grill master know how.

•Bettie Bearden Pardee,the epitome of old-school elegance, serves a second-to-none New England chowder in her orangerie at her Newport, RIhome.

•Julia Reed is famous for her cocktail parties, one of the most coveted invitations in all New Orleans.

•Bill Ingram, architect, loves nothing more than a pre-theatre cocktail party that is a satisfying as it is detail-oriented.

•Shelly Rosenberg acknowledges that all great parties wind up in the kitchen, so she starts (and ends) her party there.

•Caroline Harper Knapp, the maven behind the House of Harper blog, keeps cocktail parties simple and chic with charcuterie boards.

•Pam Kelley offers invaluable advice for moving a supper indoors when the weather turns at the last minute.

•Heather Chadduck Hillegas embraces the warmth of her backyard firepit to make for cozy gatherings that extend well into the night.

•Ruth Davis, co-founder of FOUND, turns her library into a dining room to celebrate the end of summer and fall’s gentle arrival with a hearty harvest supper.

•Cathy Kincaid makes Saturday afternoons an occasion, colorful and bright, but with an unmistakable ease.

•Bethany McCann hosts a seaside fête with a twist, shying away from a typical nautical theme, she embraces the florals in her china cabinet to serve her seafood supper.

•Courtnay Tartt Elias does a purple party like no one else!

•Carla McDonald, founder of The Salonniere, recreates a dinner from the legendary Stork Club: vintage décor, cocktails, and music set the stage.

•Michael Harold and Quinn Peeper do a gumbo dinner in their New Orleans shotgun double-camelback style home while keeping things “interesting.”

•Danielle Rollins hosts a July 4 th celebration at her Atlanta home that is red-white-and-blue and full of American classics such as deviled eggs, fried chicken, and cherry pie.

•Lisa Hilderbrand, antiques dealer, hosts Thanksgiving at her Connecticut home where the décorisfestive and dramatic, and a menu that transfers from the table to the couch with ease for football viewing.

•Christy Fordhostsan annual mother-daughter holiday tea party at her home in Charlottesville, where each and every delectable delight celebrates the season.

•Susan and SkylarDabbarkeep Christmas dinner light and airy with snow-kissed touches and large does of nostalgia, finished with desserts in front of a roaring fire.

•Jan Roden kicks the new year off on the right foot with a New Year’s buffet full of make-ahead treats and an open-door policy that comes with sweet treats to-go, as they are usually the last indulgence before resolutions kick in.

ENTERTAINING AT HOME Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts By Ronda Carman Foreword by India Hicks Photography by Michael Hunter and Matthew Mead Hardcover / 7¾”x 10¼”/ 256 pages 325 color photographs$45.00 US / ISBN: 978-0-8478-6601-4 Rizzoli New York / September 2019

Entertaining at Home: Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts