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Home & Interior Design books:
Southern Lady: Gracious Tables: The Perfect Setting for Any Occasion

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Entertaining doyenne Phyllis Hoffman shows how to prepare a stunning table for any occasion.

So many of the events of our lives, from the formal to the informal, are celebrated by gathering around a table. Whatever the occasion—whether it's a holiday dinner, Sunday brunch, or a casual lunch with friends—the table is the place where we relax and enjoy each other's company while savoring a great meal.

No one knows how to dress a table with elegance and flair better than Phyllis Hoffman, publisher of Southern Lady magazine, the quintessential resource for entertaining the gracious Southern way. Now, Hoffman draws upon her years of expertise to create Southern Lady Gracious Tables, the definitive guide to creating gorgeous "tablescapes" for every occasion.

Starting with the basics, Hoffman presents a series of breathtaking spreads for a whole range of occasions, from formal settings to casual get-togethers, and describes how to achieve each look, right down to the recipes—55 in total—for her mouthwatering specialties. Enjoy a lovely outdoor lunch of tasty Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab and Green Chile Cream Sauce, or finish off a dinner party with delectable Praline Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce.

Hoffman then builds a "wardrobe for the table," navigating through the complex world of dinnerware, fine linens, and serving pieces. Each and every element of the table—from fruit saucer to lemon fork to water goblet—is covered in a friendly, helpful way.

Finally, there's advice on adding that all-important personal touch, with instructions on how to craft flowers, family heirlooms, collectibles, and other unexpected treasures into the perfect centerpiece, place marker, or accent. All along, her advice includes refreshingly simple techniques for presentation and encourages the reader's own creativity in playing with colors, patterns, and styles.

Complemented by lush photography and told in Hoffman's accessible, encouraging, and deliciously Southern voice, Southern Lady Gracious Tables is a must-have for every aspiring hostess, south or north of the Mason Dixon. The perfect gift for any woman who loves to entertain, it has all the tools, tips, and inspiration you need to elevate the ordinary to the unforgettable.

I Love This Book! -
This book is lovely with beautiful photographs and wonderful recipes (wish there were a few more). It is well written. I collect books of this kind and this is definitely one of the better ones and a personal favorite.

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Bought on basis of previous reviews -
I purchased this book after reading reviews of it on amazon.com and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK. It is everything previously said and more. First, her dinnerware is beautiful - from the simple to the extravagant. All of her table arrangements are fresh and new ideas - not the same old stuff seen in other tabletop books I own. And, even though she may use expensive things (not all are), her ideas and design can easily be duplicated with what you may own. I am a dish fanatic not a cook. But, I was even interested in checking out the recipes and the beautifully displayed food. Then, near the end of the book, she has added beautiful and quaint drawings of the different types of dinnerware, explaining what each piece/shape is used for, e.g. cream soup cup and saucer...bouillon cup and saucer...luncheon plate...fruit saucer, etc. The next bonus is a section on artful flowers - again, designs that can easily be imitated/duplicated. Everything in the book has that "welcoming" feeling - even the formal table settings. If you are a dinnerware aficionado, you must have this book. I love it and know I will reference it frequently.

Southern Lady: Gracious Tables: The Perfect Setting for Any Occasion -
Absolutely Fabulous!!! It's really difficult to choose what I love the most, the tablescapes or the recipes. A must have for anyone who loves to cook or entertain.

Beautiful book -
Highly recommended if you love china and setting the table. I find myself pulling this one out of the bookshelf whether I'm planning a dinner party or not...

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Without a doubt the best book about table setting for this era! -
I have been collecting books for many years about table settings and have a modest but respectable collection of this genre in my personal library. I have reviewed several table setting books of recent publication and nothing compares with the style, taste and elegance this book has! Mrs. Hoffman knows table setting basics and adds her own classy twist to her table tops. I am very impressed and would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about the art of table setting or to those who already know how to properly set a table but are seeking new ideas.

Mrs. Hoffman has set the finest example on how to set the table, and her's is the one to follow, and not those that are featured on television who gaudy up their tables with unnecessary clutter and junk.

I'm proud to own this book and have it grace my library table.