Hosting a shower is a sweet and generous gesture. Because, let’s face it, a shower can be a heck of a lot of work.
If planning one is in your future, author Jennifer Adams can help ease the angst. Her new books, “Baby Showers” and “Wedding Showers” (Gibbs Smith, $9.95), offer helpful tips and ideas, and best of all, 50 recipes for throwing a delightful party that won’t level the hostess.
Her menu advice: Don’t get carried away with the food. After all, this isn’t a reception or a smorgasbord.
“Showers lend themselves well to finger foods and dainty appetizers, salads, light lunches, mid-morning brunches or just lovely desserts,” says Adams, an entertaining expert from Utah who has written several books on the subject.
Whether it’s a fancy fete or a backyard barbecue, edibles need to taste good and look good, but they need not be elaborate undertakings. Remember, you’ll have enough going on with the guest list, invitations, decorations, favors, games, seating and hostessing.
Adams provides some shower recipes in her books. Online sites worth a look include: www.kraftfoods.com (search: shower recipes); www.foodnetwork.com (search: bridal shower finger foods); and www.entertaining.about.com.