Handmade Gatherings: Recipes and Crafts for Seasonal Celebrations and Potluck Parties

Description

Celebrate the seasons and connect with your community with 16 parties to be thrown in collaboration with friends. Now in paperback with a new cover. From the decor to the entertainment, on down to the recipes themselves, Handmade Gatherings presents inspired suggestions for thoughtful, flavorful, festive communal dining. Here you'll find 16 parties built around the rhythm of the seasons. Frosty winter fetes, lush springtime soirees, sultry summer get-togethers, and crisp autumn affairs-it's all here. Food, decor, crafts, and more are part of each event, all collectively assembled and executed. Throw memorable gatherings with your loved ones, enjoy the food, connect with your community, and get caught up in the splendor of it all.

ASHLEY ENGLISH has degrees in holistic nutrition and sociology. She has worked over the years with a number of nonprofit organizations committed to social and agricultural issues, is a member of Slow Food USA, and writes a regular column for the popular blog Design*Sponge, as well as a column for the quarterly publication Taproot. She is the author of four books in the Homemade Living series (Canning and Preserving, Keeping Chickens, Keeping Bees, Home Dairy), Quench, and A Year of Pies. Ashley and her family live in Candler, North Carolina, where they are converting their land into a thriving homestead. Follow their adventures at www.smallmeasure.com.

"Handmade Gatherings brings together Ashley's seasonal recipes, crafts, and entertaining ideas, which I have been following for years now. From tips on how to make the most out of your market experience to how to get children involved in the activities, this book is filled with inspiration for parties, potlucks, and the like. Beautifully styled and photographed. Lovely all around. "-Aran Goyoaga, author of Small Plates and Sweet Treats and creator of Cannelle et Vanille "While I wish I could say I whip up a multicourse meal on the regular for twenty of my closest friends and family, it simply doesn't happen that way. Potlucks are one of the ways I most enjoy having people over. I love the way that Handmade Gatherings encourages collaborative potlucks and also provides so much inspiration for each season-from the recipe to ideas for the decor. My potlucks are instantly so much better (and tastier). "-Joy D. Cho, creator of Oh Joy! "English merges dishes with party ideas, and having sampled her spiced apple pound cake, we can say with confidence that it's just what readers need for parties as they look to spring and outdoor events. "-Library Journal "There are few things more intimate and meaningful than welcoming guests into your home. The time and love that goes into planning a shared meal makes guests feel welcomed and loved, and Ashley English knows how to do that better than anyone. Handmade Gatherings is a celebration of simple but special ways to create an environment, from food to decor, that will make any friend, family member, or guest feel like they are the guest of honor. "-Grace Bonney, founder of Design*Sponge "As someone who often hosts gatherings, I appreciate Ashley's approach to communal, potluck meals. I particularly value her approach to slowing down, appreciating the process of creating an experience, and noticing the changing of the seasons. Ashley has created a framework for celebrating friends and family, creating a community experience, and enjoying the beauty of the growing seasons and the changing calendar year. "-Natalie Chanin, founder and creative director of Alabama Chanin