Ismail Merchant's Indian Cuisine

The author's favorite time of year is the holiday season from Thanksgiving through Twelfth Night, and his 22 stylish menusfor major feasts and casual gatheringsshow a knack for combining ingredients and lightening traditional foods. A Thanksgiving harvest dinner includes cream of mushroom and onion soup, cranberry-pecan stuffing, jalapeno-cornmeal biscuits, pumpkin-mincemeat tart with ginger cream and homemade cranberry liqueur; grilled pork medallions with pear and tangerine chutney, sauteed sweet potato julienne and snow peas in black butter are features of a nouvelle Noel dinner. Hadamuscin, a caterer, suggests beverages, tree trimmings, table settings, simple, but creative, centerpieces and advance-planning tips. Incorporating lighthearted reminiscences, historic tidbits, but cutesy Christmas quotes, this exuberant guide will inspire readers. Photos. Better Homes and Gardens Book Club main selection. (September)