Dinner After Dark is much more than a collection of great recipes: it's a recipe for a great party, featuring stylish cocktails, stunning interiors, creative tabletops, and even advice on music, place cards, and the art of being a gracious host. This is mostly a cookbook, but also part decorating, part bartending, part etiquette, and part guide to living life to the fullest.

The recipes have an international appeal focusing on the exotic. The Cuba Libre cocktail party features Swordfish Escabeche, Picadillo in Lettuce Cups with Homemade Salsa, Plantain Chips, and Arroz con Camarones, all washed down with Mojitos and Cuba Libres. What's remarkable about the 100 recipes is that the ambitious dinners really rely on spices, rather than fats, and on delicious pairings instead of long ingredient lists. Nearly every recipe can be prepared in less than an hour, and almost none require last-minute cooking.