Buffet Book

Connecticut chef and restaurateur Peck, aided by food writer Bryant, provides four essentials for successful entertaining: complete menus; 175 deliciously inventive recipes; practical do-ahead hints and party how-tos; and page after page of inviting color photographs which show just how each meal should look. Among a dozen menus, equally divided between Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter buffets, themes range from ""Buddha's Delight"" (Barbecued Duck Legs, Pineapple Fried Rice and Bite-Sized Coconut Tarts) to a multi-soup supper, Summer Cookout and an elegant Wedding Celebration. Appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts feed from 10 to 50 people, depending on the event, and strike a nice balance between light and rich, exotic and all-American, complicated and easy. Food combinations surprise and please: Peck suggests serving cheddar cheese biscuits with Apple and Onion Soup; her Harvest Layered Potato Cake melds Yukon Golds with roasted peppers. Certain dishes, such as Mediterranean style Lamb Stew with Tomatoes and Green Olives or Goat Cheese and Hazelnut Tart and the last word on Hot Chocolate would be standouts on any menu. At a time when people want to entertain more casually, Peck has revitalized the buffet dinner, reminding us how much fun it can be for the cook as well as the guests. (May)