Denise Landis—longtime recipe tester for the New York Times and for a variety of cookbooks and chefs—knows what makes a good dinner party. It’s more than just the food. It’s a relaxed host or hostess, a well-composed menu, the progression of the evening from a drink and a welcoming bite on arrival all the way through to the memorable finish of dessert.

Landis' Dinner for Eight collects four seasons of delightful dinner party recipes for every occasion. It’s a broad and accomplished book that includes the best of simple foods (from the deviled eggs of summer to the Florida apple pie of fall), ethnic favorites that are perfect for entertaining (from Asian bean sprout salad to Moroccan lamb stew), and elegant evening offerings (from smoked trout pate to pears in red wine).

Each of the forty complete menus features an appetizer, first course, main course, accompaniment and dessert, as well as a selection of suggested wine or beverage pairings.

Dinner for Eight is the perfect primer for any newly minted home cook who wants to begin inviting friends over, but it’s also rich with fresh ideas for any seasoned chef. Landis guides readers through a dinner party timeline of advance preparation and last-minute finishes to ensure a fabulous, flawless dinner party.

Landis is the cook's cook. She’s also an accomplished home entertainer who has tested the recipes you’re about to enjoy not just in her test kitchen but around her own warm and welcoming dinner table as well.