cover image Round to Ours: Setting the Mood and Cooking the Food: Menus for Every Gathering

Round to Ours: Setting the Mood and Cooking the Food: Menus for Every Gathering

Laura Jackson and Alice Levine. Quadrille, $35 (272p) ISBN 978-1-84949-959-0

In their first book, Jackson and Levine, hosts of London’s swanky Jackson & Levine supper club, offer a guide to creating supper clubs and dinner parties. This lush, beautiful book serves up large helpings of aspiration, along with a side dish or two of inspiration; aimed at millennials, it’s as much about style as it is about the recipes (the authors also have a line of housewares). The book is broken up into meals (brunches, lunches, and dinners) and further into themed menus, including “Mexican Fiesta,” “The Forager’s Table,” and “Afternoon in Provence.” For Americans older than 30, some of the ideas will be recognizable as Martha Stewart redux, such as setting the table with mismatched plates found at garage sales. There are recipes for every occasion: whole-roasted mackerel with sorrel yogurt for a spring dinner; elderflower pressé jelly for outdoor dining; and deep-fried olives with ricotta, for an impromptu meal. There’s even a “Hair of the Dog” brunch menu for those suffering the after-effects of a night out, which includes a recipe for Retox While You Detox juice—a combination of cucumber, kale, ginger, and a healthy dose of vodka. While ingredients are given only in metric measurements, a conversion chart is included, but this may be unwieldy for American cooks. That said, this is a wonderful cookbook for entertaining, with recipes that are simple and clever. (Apr.)