Charlevoix author shares her secrets for successful entertaining
by Lisa Hayes

CHARLEVOIX - Charlevoix's very own know-it-all on recipes, table settings and etiquette has penned her experience to offer the "Official Know-It-All Guide to Easy Entertaining."

Charlevoix resident Edith Gilbert, author and syndicated columnist, recently released her latest book on entertaining. Heralded by publications including the Library Journal and notables like Jacqueline Kennedy's former chief of staff Letitia Baldrige, the guide is a cookbook filled with savvy suggestions and star-studded stories of Gilbert's lifetime of party-throwing and party-going.

"Not only did Mrs. Eisenhower frequently serve the president's favorite dish during their term in the White House, but in a letter to me she recalls the first time she tasted it - at Mrs. George Humphrey's plantation in Georgia," Gilbert writes. "Good recipes travel far!"

From making a respectable martini to the placement of a fish knife, Gilbert runs the gamut on throwing a good party. Not to be forgotten, of course, is how to be a good guest.

"Speaking of being relaxed and poised always reminds me of this classic story that happened at a small dinner party in Shanghai, China, many years ago," Gilbert writes. "During dinner the waiter approached the dining table carrying a beautifully garnished goose on a silver platter. He tripped and the goose slipped to the floor.

"Calmly the hostess turned to him and said, 'Please bring in the other one!' Naturally most of the guests were pretty certain there was no 'other' goose in the kitchen. Yet, after the bird was brought around the second time, everyone tactfully raved how delicious the other goose tasted."

Always in good taste, Gilbert offers a host of recipes that have rich histories. It's said that her tomatoe pudding is a classic favorite in Northern Michigan. The story goes that there was a remarkable eatery down the road from the Red Fox Inn in Horton Bay - the scene of one of Ernest Hemingway's earliest short stories, "Up in Michigan."

Mrs. Fox was famous for her home-cooked meals that drew travelers from New York and New Orleans. In her book, Gilbert offers two recipes for tomato pudding, straight from the kitchen of Mrs. Fox. it's rumored that Wes Westhoven, chef and owner of the Rowe Inn in Ellsworth, is creating a feast from recipes in the book, including the delicious tomato dish.

If you're ready to host a party of your own but don't have an occasion handy, Gilbert lists several cocktail-worthy events in the back of the book. Ranging from an Easter tead to the day Rome was founded in 753 B.C., you'll never have an excuse not to entertain.

The new chapter on table service and a personal introduction are highlights of Gilbert's book, but the wide assortment of covered subjects will fill any need. From college student to professional hostess, the guide is a priceless resource when it comes to anyone's party.

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