Party Dips!: 50 Zippy, Zesty, Spicy, Savory, Tasty, Tempting Dips

For hosts who are sick of the usual onion soup mix/sour cream dip present at so many cocktail parties, cookbook author Sampson (The Bake Sale Cookbook; The $50 Dinner Party; etc.) offers a book full of alternatives. She suggests such different dips as Stan Frankenthaler's Green Goddess Dip, which incorporates anchovies, spinach, tarragon and capers, among other ingredients; and Red Bean and Chipotle Dip, a variation on hummus that Sampson stumbled upon serendipitously. Smooth, chunky and cheesy dips all receive their due with colorful photos and straightforward instructions. Many recipes call for staples like mayonnaise and garlic; a good number (though not all) require food processors; and most make around two cups of dip (which, according to her quarter-cup-per-person allowance, should serve eight). Sampson also suggests""Divine Dippers"" for each dip, ranging from celery sticks to French bread toasts, and explains techniques like roasting garlic and toasting nuts.