Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing an eARC copy of this book for review.

I really loved the organization and the colour in this book. Everything is incredibly detailed, and I especially love the details in the preparation for everything. It is something that I feel is often overlooked.

Fairly basic ideas, but likely still nice inspiration for parties/entertaining. Photos are nice as well. Not something I would purchase.

Artful, entertaining, engaging, and instructional, this book definitely captured my interest. The authors paint a brilliant picture of celebrations and the recipes are inviting. I can't wait to use this book in planning my next gathering.

A beautiful book to provide inspiration for displaying a bountiful meal. Step up your host or hostess game with this helpful book. A board or table has never looked so good!

The focus here is creating dazzling spreads using platters, boards and serving wear that are grouped together by theme. I love things that are put together by theme and using food is so much fun.

The spreads are creative, interesting and are beautiful options for entertaining, small groups or just for fun with your special people. There is everything you need to know to create a spread for yourself in easy to follow instructions and recipes. The photos are stunning and appealing!!

I received a copy from the publisher on NG.

Whenever an event, gathering, or holiday approaches, I always get the urge to create a beautifully curated charcuterie board. Heck, even if it's just a casual night in with a few other people, I tend to get that urge. But I've never known where to start. I get overly ambitious and try to do too much at once, usually leaving me overwhelmed and with a lot of leftovers.

I love how Tables & Spreads gave such easy steps to follow on how to create your board. Even serving size per person depending on whether it's the main course or a starter/snack. I loved that. The recipes are great and the beautiful photos have inspired my next board which I'm excited to put together for the holidays!

I love to entertain and really enjoyed this book! I'm looking forward to my next get together where I can execute some of these ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

Great idea for a book with endless table & platter options. Perfect present option for people who like entertaining.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I love cookbooks since I set the goal this year to cook or make something new at least once a month. I have made spreads and things before but I was never sure how much to put out for each person and so this does a good thing of showing how to portions things for each person that will be there. I also see this is not something one can just throw together at the last minute. I enjoyed the pictures that showed the the spreads and tables. There are some combinations that I want to try and setting up a table like this book suggests. I have never added honey to a spread before I did not think that was an option. I am going to have to refer back to this book for tips and tricks that are listed.

At Christmas I attempted a cheese spread and realized that, just like flower arranging, there actually is an art behind it. Of course there is nothing wrong with "just" plonking some cheese onto a board and munch away, but if you want something nice, it does require some thinking. So Westerhausen's Tables & Spreads was a gift. With clear instructions, time tables and suggestions, she makes organizing a table or presenting a spread as easy as could be!

Such a creative book with really great ideas.
If you love entertaining and want to spruce up some simple ingredients with delightful new spins and presentations, this book is definitely the one to pick up!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please excuse my tardiness in posting my review as my TBR list continuously grows and I keep finding so many book with so little time!

So much gratitude for this copy shared with me, always xo

Please allow me access to this book so I can give an accurate account of my opinion. This book looks to be a great addition to any cookbook collection. I wasn’t aware that the books came to my dashboard. I thought they went to the Kindle app.

This is the perfect book book for anyone who either loves to entertain or would like to get started.

This book has a wide array of inspirational recipes, themes and idea's for your next gathering. Simple, easy to follow instructions with a no stress approach to pulling off the perfect party.

As someone who doesn't do a lot of entertaining, I'm probably the wrong audience for this title, but it is a beautiful book--the photography is lovely and it's laid out well. The first section deals with general guidelines when it comes to entertaining (napkin folds, tableware, etc.) while the second section gives themed tables/spreads. Each theme includes not only ingredients and recipes, but also color palette and music suggestions, portion guides (nobody likes having too much or too little of something!) and beverage accompaniments. Readers can use the themes exactly or mix and match according to their needs. Don't have time to make a homemade jam or spread? It's easy to substitute store-bought hummus or preserves. The author has tips for choosing the right kind of table or spread for your needs/occasion, for pairing flavors and foods, and for serving specific items (ever wondered how to cut different kinds of cheeses?). Even readers who don't entertain will appreciate the recipes for use in everyday cooking and cocktail-making.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.

A must have for anyone planning to have people over, this book has a wide array of "spreads" for your next gathering. Simple, easy recipes, with all the foods in the spread complementing each other well.

This book is absolutely wonderful! It's an incredibly comprehensive book for anyone who likes to host and is interested in ideas for spreads. It includes styling tips, advice on utensils/glassware, and the loveliest recipes. I plan to purchase my own copy and gift to others!

Thank you, Chronicle Books and NetGalley, for a digital ARC!

A wonderful guide for cooking and styling food for better presentation! This book is fun and easy to grasp, a perfect go-to when you're not much of a host and an entertainer and you're faced with a gathering with little time to prepare. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this free ARC. This review is made of my own accord, with no monetary compensation whatsoever from the names mentioned above and/or the rightful owners of this ARC.

I want to thank Netgalley and the authors for gifting me the ebook. Loved the book and full of ideas! I can't wait til I have company in a few weeks and will try some of these ideas from this book. Thank you!

I love the idea of inviting people over to share in a beautiful, thoughtfully curated spread on a beautifully decorated table. I can see it in my head. But then everything goes wrong, and they show up to a bag of Doritos, warm soda, and some mustard. I need help getting from idea to execution, and fortunately, Shelly Westerhausen Worcel is here to guide me. Her newest cookbook, Tables and Spreads, is designed for those of us who want to be a domestic goddess and instead just keep turning into dramatic oddness.

Worcel lays everything out step by step, so that her readers can plan, prep, and execute a dinner party, an informal gathering, or even a weeknight dinner that is a well-organized, lovely, inviting spread of finger foods and dips that includes a variety of flavors and textures to satisfy any palette. She thinks of everything I don’t: the design of the table, the theme which you can use to unify the experience, the prep and storage of all your ingredients. She even includes diagrams of wine glasses and cheeses and cheese utensils. She tells you how to cut and cook your vegetables, how to make your meats look abundant on the board, how to add jams or sauces or pickles or dried fruits to add sweetness or tang, and how to fold your napkins to impress.

With checklists and schedules and a chart that shows how much food to buy per guest, Worcel makes the planning so much easier, and she helps you plan out not just the foods but also the tableware, the linens, drinks, the color palette, and the music. She helps you with “The Wow Factor,” making sure your spreads are as memorable for their inviting beauty as they are for the bold flavors and generous mix of foods. She includes over 20 different themes you can choose from, or she helps you plan if you want to go free form. And with over 65 recipes, you can find something that everyone will love.

Each theme comes with a wealth of information and ideas and a few new recipes to add interest and depth. For a classic example, there is The Standard, a classic cheese board featuring 3 different cheeses as well as olives, crackers, honey, and some dried fruit. Then she adds in recipes for Spicy Cantaloupe Jam, Pickled Zucchini Ribbons, and Herby Brown Sugar Nuts. But if you don’t have time to make those, there are store-bought suggestions that will work just as well. She offers ideas for styling and drinks pairing and make-ahead suggestions to make the celebration easier for hosting. And Worcel’s husband Wyatt adds his sidebar with meat suggestions, since she is a vegetarian.

Each of these themes are put together like this, with a wealth of ideas and information to help your event go smoothly. Need something to start your dinner party? Try the Fall Grazing Board, the Burrata Board, or Dips for Dinner. Is it Girls’ Night Out? Go with the Boozy Bloody Mary Bar, the Ladies’ Night Lettuce Wraps, or Valentine’s Day Chocolate Fondue. For holidays, there is the Mother’s Day Spring Minestrone Spread, Christmas Morning Dutch Baby Party, or New Year’s Eve Martini Bar. And there are so many more ideas, for birthdays, breakfast for dinner, Thanksgiving desserts, simple family dinners, or outdoor barbecues.

With fun and flair, flowers and flavors, Worcel brings ideas and inspiration for spreads of all kinds in Tables and Spreads. The photography is gorgeous, bringing these ideas to life in full color, and the creativity is boundless.

There is a lot of information in Tables and Spreads that I can use to be a better host, and I look forward to trying out what I’ve learned. Will I use Worcel’s pre-planned themes? I’m not sure. Some just aren’t right for me (I’m not that much of a drinker, so I probably wouldn’t use any of the spreads dedicated to alcohol), but I love how seeing her spread ideas makes me think of things that will work for me. Overall, I love the organization and creativity of Tables and Spreads, and I think it could help anyone else who struggles with putting together a great spread for family and friends.

Egalleys for Tables and Spreads were provided by Chronicle Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

A lovely collection of recipes and tips for putting together tables and boards.It is both recipe book and style guide and a good resource for anyone looking forward to entertaining in the future. And the included pictures are inspirational and well laid out.