POTLUCK AT MIDNIGHT FARM: Celebrating Food, Family, and Friends on Martha's Vineyard
Tamara Weiss, , with a foreword by Carly Simon. . Clarkson Potter, $32.50 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-609-60909-5
In a bid for the Barefoot Contessa audience, Weiss, co-owner with Simon of a home furnishings store on Martha's Vineyard, offers suggestions and recipes for casual potluck parties. These are reportedly culled from various thematic potlucks that Weiss herself has organized or attended, so a chapter on Indian Night includes Green Mango Chutney and Mango Lassi, and one on a Long Point Autumn Afternoon (held at the local wildlife refuge) offers Steak, Arugula and Parmesan Wraps, and Napa and Cilantro Salad with Spicy Peanuts. Each chapter bears a rather lengthy descriptive introduction extolling the natural wonders of the island. The result is something of a mishmash, and a few recipes do not even seem appropriate to the potluck format—Herb and Garlic Roasted Chicken sounds delicious, but calls for deglazing the pan at the last minute to create a sauce. Ultimately, this is a collection of solid—if unsurprising—dishes appropriate for entertaining (such as Seared Tuna with Wasabi Aioli on Crispy Wontons and Fresh Fruit Tart), organized in a somewhat confusing manner. Each recipe is credited to a potluck guest, and since Martha's Vineyard is a resort where the elite like to summer, there are selections from famous names: Daphne's Fried Chicken from Bill Styron and Mary Steenburgen's Corn Spoon Pudding.
Reviewed on: 02/18/2002
Genre: Nonfiction