THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THROWING THE PERFECT PARTY—FROM ONE OF TODAY’S MOST SOUGHT-AFTER CATERERS. When A-listers want to host a standout event, they call New York caterer Mary Giuliani. Her motto? Eat. Drink. Play. Recover. 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 • New Year’s Eve: Banana Pancake Bites, Mini Kale and Fontina Breakfast Pies, and Champagne Jell-O • Game Day: MACO (Mac and Cheese Taco) with Guacamole, Banoffee Cream Pie in a Mug, and Beergaritas • Awards Season: Chicken Satay, Edamame Dumplings, and Easiest Champagne Drink Ever • Cinco de Mayo: Spicy Pigs, Sweet Quesadilla Bites, and Grapefruit-Jalapeño Margaritas • Thanksgiving: Turkey with Cranberry on Mini Pumpkin Muffins, Mashed Potato Popovers with Mozzarella, and Tipsy Turkey Martinis • Christmas: Mini Grilled Cheese with Fontina and OTTO Black Truffle Honey, Baked Italian Mini Doughnuts, and Italian Eggnog 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.Praise for Mary Giuliani and The Cocktail Party “A handbook for living well and appreciating life with joyous abandon.”—Mario Batali, from the Foreword “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.”—Ariel Foxman, editorial director, InStyle “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.’”—Jonathan Van Meter, author and contributing editor, Vogue and New York