<b>THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THROWING THE PERFECT PARTY—FROM ONE OF TODAY’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER CATERERS.</b><br><b></b><br>When A-listers want to host a standout event, they call New York caterer Mary Giuliani. Her motto?<i>Eat. Drink. Play. Recover.</i> She prefers a “simple yet special” approach to entertaining but still manages to make the ordinary extraordinary. Now Mary is sharing all her secrets, along with tried-and-true planning tips, inventive menus, whimsical recipes, and delicious stories—everything you need to know to get your ducks in a row—and your pigs in their blankets!—to stage the perfect party for a range of special occasions, including<br><br><b>• New Year’s Eve:</b> Banana Pancake Bites, Mini Kale and Fontina Breakfast Pies, and Champagne Jell-O<br><b>• Game Day:</b> MACO (Mac and Cheese Taco) with Guacamole, Banoffee Cream Pie in a Mug, and Beergaritas<br><b>• Awards Season:</b> Chicken Satay, Edamame Dumplings, and Easiest Champagne Drink Ever<br><b>• Cinco de Mayo:</b> Spicy Pigs, Sweet Quesadilla Bites, and Grapefruit-Jalapeño Margaritas<br><b>• Thanksgiving:</b> Turkey with Cranberry on Mini Pumpkin Muffins, Mashed Potato Popovers with Mozzarella, and Tipsy Turkey Martinis<br><b>• Christmas: </b>Mini Grilled Cheese with Fontina and OTTO Black Truffle Honey, Baked Italian Mini Doughnuts, and Italian Eggnog<br><br>Each party theme comes with a festive Snacktivity that turns your favorite foods and toppings into an eye-popping set piece (think frittata bar, soup-sipping station, DIY grilled cheese party). Mary also offers up Big Stories to get the conversation flowing, a Party Calculator to plan how much to buy and prep per guest, and advice for stocking your Party Closet so you can quickly turn a casual drop-by into a fabulous time. Whether you host get-togethers once a week or once a year, this handy guide has all you need to eat, drink, and be, well, Mary.<br><br><b>Praise for Mary Giuliani and <i>The Cocktail Party</i></b><br><b><i></i></b><br>“A handbook for living well and appreciating life with joyous abandon.”<b>—Mario Batali, from the Foreword</b><br><br>“When Mary Giuliani caters a party at your home, guests eat more, drink more, and linger longer, and when they do finally leave they ask for to-go bags. All-encompassing but never fussy, clever but never pretentious, Mary’s approach to food and entertaining is warm and familiar without ever sacrificing on quality and sophistication.”<b>—Ariel Foxman, editorial director,<i>InStyle</i></b><br><br>“Mary pulls it all together with effortless panache, and all I can ever remember the next day—besides the fact that I drank too much—is how delicious everything was and how much fun I had. That is why I have her saved on my phone as ‘Party Expert.’”<b>—Jonathan Van Meter, author and contributing editor, <i>Vogue</i> and <i>New York</i></b>