Her nickname says it all. Tara “Teaspoon” Bench knows her way around a recipe. As a former food editor and stylist for notables including Martha Stewart—and now a food-focused author, content creator and blogger—Utah-native Bench has penned and prepared countless mouthwatering dishes. When Bench visits Utah from her current home in New York City, she naturally stirs things up. “My mom and I love to cook,” says Bench, who also relishes entertaining. She celebrates both passions in her new cookbook Delicious Gatherings: Recipes to Celebrate Together.
“In my first book I shared my favorite classic recipes, and in this second book I share my entertaining expertise and ideas for bringing people together around food.” That food is presented as a collection of splendidly photographed recipes, teamed with tips and how-tos for delivering flair and flavor to your get-togethers. Bench presents it all in five sections including “Main Events,” “Serious Sides,” “Breakfast and Brunch,” “Baking and Sweets,” as well as the opener “Gather-Around Dinners,” which showcases stress-free, full-course menus for an assortment of special gatherings including holiday dinners—a timely offering for the upcoming season.
“This cookbook is meant to inspire you and your family and friends to eat together,” Bench notes. “The recipes were created to make sharing them easy, so they are easily doubled or cut in half, depending on the size of your gathering.” But be forewarned: If you leave this scrumptious 272-page book out during your get-together, you may be asked to share it as well.
Tara’s Top Tip:
Read a recipe through before you begin cooking and even before you make your grocery list. This allows you to visualize the actions and the ingredients of each step. It builds confidence even before you start and helps your mind note when you’ll be adding ingredients.
Make Bench’s favorite desert, Apple Pudding Cake with Butter Sauce.
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