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Effortless Elegance
by Colin Cowie
HarperStyle
ISBN 0-06-270152-5
Published September 1996 - Hardcover - 260 pages - $45.00

I loved Colin Cowie's book Dinner After Dark so much that I was keen to see his earlier books.  This one came out in 1996 but is just as "now" as ever.  The other book of his I reviewed is Weddings.  This book is a beautifully illustrated (we need all the help we can get!) book with over 200 recipes, tips, and menus to help us get going, plus charming pictures of personal get-togethers.  And it's not all about the most expensive ideas either - yay!  It's about getting into entertaining at home, being sociable, and doing so in an elegant fashion.  Colin gives us menus for a breakfast, a brunch, lunches, a picnic, and dinners, both smart and casual.  Even a buffet and a scrumptuous afternoon tea.  There is a wide variety of ethnic cuisine for you to try and by the looks of things, nothing seems outrageously difficult.  Some of the yummy-sounding recipes include Stuffed Breast of Turkey with White Wine and Rosemary, Seafood Paella, and Vanilla Mousse Meringues and Fresh Berries.  My favorite tables are on pages 141 and 233.  His use of beautiful plates and dishes goes a long way to brightening up any table.  The tables he has set are stunning and you can gather many hints and tips for your own table.  His eye for detail is amazing.  Not so much what you do, but how you do it.  I loved the idea of the ice mold on page 101.  It looks spectacular.  Colin insists that you'll have time for yourself and won't be holed up in your kitchen for days preparing these dishes.  Quick and easy (mostly) to put together, which is what we all need these days.  I would love to have been at the Feast from the Ocean (page 114).  See my review of his other book, Colin Cowie's Extraordinary Weddings.
Visit Colin at his website at www.colincowie.com.
Conclusion - Just fabulous and full of wonderfully inspiring ideas.

Interview with Author