Block Parties & Poker Nights: Recipes and Ideas for Getting and Staying Connected with Your Neighbors

by Peg Allen

Across the country, folks are rediscovering potluck parties, progressive dinners, and other neighborhood gatherings as a way to forge bonds that endure long after the last dish is cleared away. From small, adults-only get-togethers to neighborhood extravaganzas,Block Parties and Poker Nightshas dozens of creative ideas, for fun, fulfilling community events and the tried-and-true dishes that make them so memorable. * Recipes for soup buffets, salad...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0609807889
• ISBN13: 9780609807880
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers
• Length: 261 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Great ideas: good recipes

I'm not sure what the other person was talking about that the recipes are not very good. I thought they were all easy to prepare and quite tasty. They're not great but they were good and typical party fare. The 4th of July party had some awesome ideas, great party tips and food to go along with it. The All-South BBQ rub was really good. We've used it several times and not just for summer parties. The cookie exchange we've done several times over the years and it's become a church favorite. We don't use all the ideas but those ideas branch off into other ideas. Overall a worthy cookbook and many good recipes.

Craving for ideas satisfied!!!

I am always on the lookout for fun things to do - fun party suggestions. This book was the most fun I've had in a while just reading all the recipes and ideas. It is loaded. I was thinking BLOCK PARTY when I ordered it, and am truly excited to throw one now that I am armed with so many fun ideas, but so many of the parties presented would also work with ANY group of people, they don't have to be your next door neighbors. These parties would work for getting fellow co-workers acquainted (the bowling party would be a great company Christmas Party), or helping church people get acquainted, and a couple of them would even work for a family reunion. I was actually jealous of all the "neighborly" stuff that was presented. I wish I lived in such a friendly, caring, involved, and fun neighborhood as some of the folks who's stories were featured. I think I'm going to try and be courageous and give some of these ideas a whirl. I haven't tried any of the recipes (there are a lot of them) but they all look yummy. If you are into throwing parties and are also yearning to be the chairman of neighborhood social committee (held back until this moment only by the lack of creative ideas) you'll *L*O*V*E* that you found this book!!!!

Great book for new neighbors

My family recently moved into our first home in the suburbs. We're on a very busy street without sidewalks so none of the kids on the block knew each other. This book has really helped us learn how to connect to our new neighbors. We started throwing neighborhood parties for all occassions, and the kids on the block finally know each other. This book has so many fun and inventive ideas, adorable drawings, and easy recipes that work well for crowds. Three new families have moved in this year and the book has given us wonderful ideas to welcome them! (We now bring welcome baskets that include a list of important places in the area.) I wish someone in the neighoborhood had read this book before we had moved in!

Review of Peggy Allen's "Block Parties and Poker Nights"

This book is filled with practical suggestions that don't have to cost a fortune to implement. The author offers a broad range of ideas requiring varying degrees of prep work depending on how much time you have available. It's laid out simply and works well as an easy reference guide.

I never knew what to do until I read this book!

You can watch Martha Stewart and HGTV all day long and still not know the significance of food as an emotional currency during gatherings. From paying your respects to saying hello to the new neighbors, you'll be reaching for this book so much it belongs next to the dictionary and yellow pages.