This in the one cook book in my extensive collection I return to again and again. It's not pretentious and its fun and easy to use.
The recipies work - Every single recipie I have ever tried works just as expected. There are no surprises. I have used some other big name appetizer books and been dissapointed, not so with Kafka's book. Everything is consistent and delicious. The photos are real and extremly helpfull to picturing the end results.
This book helps with planning whether for a huge party or intimate gathering. Kafka outlines clearly which items can be fixed in advance, what can be frozen and what needs to be prepared on the spur of the moment.
This book is packed with ideas. Kafka makes tons of suggestions for alternative uses of sauces, fillings and breads - all are completly cross referenced with page numbers and names. There is an entire section on dressing up "ready mades." The book covers everything from complete menu suggestions to cocktails to homemade breads to simple spreads.
Finally, one of my favorite features is the extensive cross referenced index. It's easy to find anything you want whether you search on ingredients, origin or theme. I love this book and have purchased it as a gift for all of my family and friends.