Arty Parties: An Entertaining Cookbook from the Creator of Salad for President

Julia Sherman knows how to throw a party. She's hosted a 200-person book launch in the aisles of a corner supermarket, a New York crawfish boil to the accompaniment of a punk-rock marching band, and potluck dinners on museum rooftops. She's thrown a party in an underground restaurant in Tokyo and a taco party in a third-generation ceramics factory in Guadalajara. But the events she loves most are the ones that happen in the comfort of her own home. With this book, Sherman shows you how to open up your hearth to friends and be the architect of your own uniquely memorable bash. Uninterested in codified markers of good taste, this book will not instruct you on how to properly set a table or fold starched white linen. Instead, Sherman reveals that modern gatherings are less about "getting it right" and more about creating unpretentious and genuine experiences that build community. Featuring colorful food that is confident in its simplicity, Sherman shares easy-to-follow recipes that value imaginative flavor combinations over complexity: dishes like sliced melon and fried sage; cucumbers with tahini and sriracha; and radishes with miso-ghee. This book also invites readers into the idiosyncratic gatherings of internationally acclaimed artists, from Paris for an intimate dinner in an artist's atelier, to a Jamaican feast in Harlem. Woven throughout are Sherman's own home-grown events starring food that is relatable yet chic. Utterly unique and beautifully designed, Arty Parties is a guide to creating meaningful experiences that nourish both the host and their guests.

About the Author :
Julia Sherman is an artist, photographer, and the creator of the website Salad for President. In addition to her culinary work, Sherman is an exhibiting mixed-media artist. She received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA from Columbia University. Sherman is the author of Salad for President (Abrams, 2017). She lives in Pasadena, California.

Review :
“Julia Sherman is a constant source of inspiration. In her cookbook Arty Parties, she brings passion and innovation to cooking and entertaining like no one else I know. This book is a creative platform for human connection.” “Julia Sherman is a grand champion of creative get-togethers. She wants you to be one too and this gem of a book is the spark you need if you tend to talk yourself out of entertaining (we’ve all been there). Arty Parties gets under the hood and shows you how to make the world your dining room, rethink what it means to host, cook great food, and have fun in the process.” “Arty Parties is so utterly original, playful, and practical that if it doesn’t inspire you to throw a party, I don’t know what will. Amid thoughtful recipes highlighting exquisitely sourced ingredients, Julia Sherman profiles a mix of artists’ parties that run the gamut from a chic Parisian office party to a queer performance night in Upstate New York. Everything in the book has the same message: Food is visual art, a performance, and sustenance. The next time you entertain, think outside the box.” “Julia Sherman is bursting with delicious ideas: eat a halved furikake-sprinkled avocado, perhaps on the go or over the sink! Soak some sour cherries in vodka for a memorable hostess gift! Toss a head of romaine on the grill and mix it with celery-kumquat salsa to make a mouth-watering salad! Sherman takes us in hand and teaches us not to be too precious in the kitchen: to experiment, make a mess, try something new. This book is a reminder that food is a party, and a really good one at that.”