Real-Life Entertaining

Real-Life Entertaining
Great Food and Simple Style for Hectic Lives

By Donata Maggipinto

Real-Life Entertaining
Donata pinpoints the genesis of her interest in food and entertaining to an evening 25 years ago when, as a young child, she hid in the bottom shelf of a bookcase, watched her parents serve cocktails, and emerged hours later when the group had left for dinner to drink the remaining whiskey sours, eat the cheese and green onion canapés, and even more fun, suck on the leftover maraschino cherries.

Now a nationally know entertaining expert, Donata appears regularly on national television. She speaks to the millions of very busy people who balance career, home, family, and the myriad responsibilities therein, yet want to entertain and have fun doing it! Those who aren't graced with gobs of time nor money rely on Donata for the recipes, ideas, and tips that will enable them to entertain stylishly.

As a representative of the way Americans want to cook and entertain today, Donata's views have been quoted in numerous national publications, including Newsweek, Time, Food & Wine, and the New York Times. Formerly food and entertaining director for Williams-Sonoma, the nation's premier resource for people who like to cook, Donata culls trends and ideas from around the world to develop cooking and entertaining ideas; recipes; and recommendations for authentic foods, restaurants, and stores that merchandise themes, products, and customer programs that enable Americans to share their travel (armchair or otherwise) experiences via their cooking and entertaining.

Donata continues to share her discoveries of how people cook, eat, and entertain around the world via her writing, television appearances, and visits across the country. She speaks to a wide range of professional and consumer organizations including the International Association of Cooking Professionals, the National Association of the Specialty Food Trade, The American Institute of Wine & Food, The Food & Wine Classic, and the New York Fashion Institute.

Real-Life Entertaining
Great Food and Simple Style for Hectic Lives
By Donata Maggipinto
Clarkson Potter/Publishers, November 1998
Hardback, $30.00
240 pages, 125 full-color photographs
ISBN: 0-609-6011 1-3
Information provided by the publisher.