Caprial Cooks for Friends

Host of a cooking show and owner of Caprial's restaurant in Portland, Ore., Pence (Caprial's Soups and Sandwiches, etc.) wants readers to get out there and entertain. To help them get started, she offers dozens of beautifully presented (and labor intensive) selections for every occasion. There's Wild Mushroom Tarte Tatinas appetizer for dress-up affairs and John's Famous Barbecued Ribs with Secret Cure and Mango Barbecue Sauce for backyard dinners. How about Corn Dogs and Chocolate Birthday Cake for a child's party or Lobster Salad with Pecan Mustard Dressing for lunch on the terrace? There are plenty of seafood and vegetarian options. Desserts range from rustic (Peach Pie with Oatmeal-Pecan Crust) to suave (Panna Cotta with Blackberry Compote). The dozen sample menus are especially helpful as the book's range of flavors, mostly drawn from Mediterranean, Southwestern and Asian ingredients, can be overwhelming. While Pence offers wine suggestions for each main course, suggestions for accompaniments would have been just as welcome. It helps to come to this book with some kitchen savvy, for there's an impressionistic quality to some of the recipes. White beans, for example, won't cook in 20 minutes no matter how long they've been soaked beforehand. And if readers are tackling a whole menu, they better plan on spending lots of time in the kitchen. Some may come away from this book inspired; others may leave hoping for an invitation from more ambitious friends. 24-page color insert. (June)