You're looking for a gift for your favorite hostess. Well, look no further. Choose one of these cookbooks and your hostess' life will be easier the next time she entertains, and your meal may even be tastier! Many of these are the latest and greatest from the past year, but I've included several of my old favorites, too.
1. What to Drink with What You Eat
This book will become an indispensable part of the entertaining arsenal of any host or hostess. Rather than relying on the sometimes dubious knowledge of the wine shop staff for recommendations, you can open these pages to find the perfect match for any meal.
2. The Essence of Chocolate
Any chocoholic will love the tempting recipes and interesting facts about chocolate found in this book. The photos are sublimely dramatic, and the recipes are well written. Expect big things from dessert the next time you visit.
3. The Bon Appetit Cookbook
My all-time favorite magazine for recipes for entertaining came out this year with a cookbook collection of the most popular 1200 recipes. Kind of boggles the mind, doesn't it? But they've always been a dependable source of foolproof recipes, and this book will become an invaluable resource to any host or hostess.
4. Inspirations by Preston Bailey
Is there someone on your gift list who loves to create beautiful parties? Do they go crazy over eye candy? Then Preston Bailey's newest book, Inspirations, may be the perfect gift for them. This isn't a cookbook, but it will provide inspiration for setting the stage for anyone who likes to entertain.5. Jamie's Italy
Both fans of Jamie Oliver and fans of Italian cuisine will love this book. It's filled with beautiful photographs of Italy and the recipes. Your host or hostess, at the very minimum, will enjoy an armchair visit to Italy. And if you're lucky, they'll be inspired to cook some of these recipes for you the next time you visit.6. Raising the Bar
What do you get when you combine a knowledge of fine dining with the art of mixology? You end up with a collection of cocktails that rise above the mundane selection typically found at home bars. With this book close at hand, any amateur home bartender will feel the confidence of a pro when offering cocktails to her guests.7. Dave's Dinners
This cookbook provides a lovely selection of recipes that appeal to contemporary tastes and will impress any guests, while not overstressing the cook. This book takes the effort out of meal planning and preparation, and allows the host to focus on entertaining his or her guests.8. The Silver Spoon
Any fan of Italian cuisine will love to have this book added to their collection. This is the definitive cookbook throughout Italy, and finally it has been translated into English.9. The South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook
Before you give this book as a gift, you'll have to know your host or hostess. Whether this book will please or offend will depend on your relationship with this person. But if it's for a dear friend who confides in you about their diet and food choices, this book will make it easy for him or her to stick to the plan while entertaining.10. Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook
This terrific handbook covers all the possible types of hors d'oeuvres you might serve when entertaining. The book is well organized and there are detailed photos to show you what the end result will be. This book is an comprehensive handbook for anyone who likes to entertain.