by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, Sally Swift

Clarkson Potter, $35.00, 338 pages

The only thing missing from How to Eat Weekends is a round of Stump the Cook. Because the theme is weekends “when the pressure is off and … you get to slow down and dig into cooking in a different way” there are sumptuous menus from around the world and for special celebrations. There are tips that you would expect from the host and producer of The Splendid Table:  wine pairings, culinary tools and techniques, shopping and preparation game plans, choosing and setting the table and how to be a perfect host.  But the key ingredients in this book are the recipes from soups to sweets with meat and vegetarian dishes tucked in the middle.

Kasper and Swift season generously with “Cook to Cook” side notes as well as quotes from Voltaire to Amy Sedaris about food and accompaniments. Oh, and if you want to know how to put together a meal from five random ingredients from your fridge, you are going to have to call into the Splendid Table or email Lynne Rossetto Kasper because you are not going to get that here.

Sue Phelps