As an author myself, I love to help friends celebrate the publication of a new book. And when those friends happen to include cookbook authors like fellow Savannah residents Martha Giddens Nesbit and Johnathon Barrett, you know the food had better be fabulous. I’ve included my versions of some of John and Martha’s recipes here, and added a couple of cocktail party standbys of my own. A word to the wise: In our small beach community, a cocktail party is more like a stand-up buffet, consisting of heavy appetizers, albeit mostly ones that don’t require a fork, and LOTS of good bourbon, which Tom insists upon. We also usually create a signature cocktail to tie in with the party.
SERVES 12 TO 14