Why the Southern Living Party Cookbook Still Earns a Spot on Our Shelves

The Southern Living Party Cookbook debuted in 1972. The cover describes it as an entertaining guide with complete menus. That's still true, even after 50 years. Okay, we must admit that the descriptions of formal hostess duties and strict social etiquette in the first chapter sound outdated (if not outlandish) to our 2022 ears, but this book's main message will never go out of style. The key to successful entertaining and gracious hospitality is for everyone to feel comfortable, including the hosts.

This book is hefty, with 456 pages filled with hundreds of recipes and good ideas. The tips that pop up throughout each chapter are useful gems. The clear, descriptive recipe instructions make us confident that the recipes will turn out right. There are pointers on what we can do make ahead to avoid everything needing to be done at the last minute.

This cookbook offers dozens of menu suggestions, which helps those of us who wonder what goes best with what, not to mention inspiration for the times when we cannot seem to think of a thing to make. We don't have to make the entire menu, of course, but we can still pick up pointers on menu planning, and can find new recipes to mix with our personal favorites.

There are menus for many occasions, some of which might now seem silly to us, but they serve to remind us that there is always a good reason to have friends and family over, including no reason other than we want to.

The book is full of classic recipes, so we might come across some that someone in our family or community circle used to make, and we're delighted to be reminded of how good they tasted. A few of the ingredients are no longer available in the exact same form, but there's nothing we can't figure out or work around. We'll also find a few recipes that make us shake our heads in wonderment at how that dish was ever popular. No worries, those puzzling recipes can now be a topic of conversation to share with friends gathered around our table. We can laugh together as we swap stories of regrettable dishes from our own pasts.

The recipe yields line up with how we're likely to entertain. Most are scaled for groups of 4 to 8, with more formal dinner parties and cookouts being for 10 to 12 guests. We'll also find menus that yield the huge quantities necessary for a crowd, such as a reception for fifty, and yet there's also menu for a sweet breakfast for two.

One line in the Introduction reads "So often in organizing our entertaining, we tend to forget why we're doing it at all. We're so busy with the mechanics of the affair, we overlook the real purpose of entertaining—the pleasure of dispensing hospitality." Isn't that the truth? No matter the menu or the occasions, our goal is for everyone to have a good time, including us. That's the spirit that reassures us that even after 50 years, we still need the Southern Living Party Cookbook.

We decided to reproduce one of the great menus from the book for a 2022 cookout. Only a few small updates is all it took to make these recipes just as tasty today. Don't forget plenty of iced tea and lemonade!

Lemon-Barbecue Chicken

The crispy skin and bold flavor of this grilled chicken are enough reason to party.

Recipe: Lemon-Barbecue Chicken

Janie May's Baked Beans

No backyard barbecue is complete without some smoky, sweet baked beans.

Recipe: Janie May's Baked Beans

Cucumber Salad

This unassuming salad is a light and fresh addition to this cookout menu.

Recipe: Cucumber Salad

Sidney's Potato Salad

Super-creamy and slightly-tangy makes for the perfect bite.

Recipe: Sidney's Potato Salad

Mrs. R's Coleslaw

This simple slaw is a great medley of flavors.

Recipe: Mrs. R's Coleslaw

Chocolate Icebox Cake

Chocolate is the best way to end a summer celebration.

Recipe: Chocolate Icebox Cake