Essentially Lilly: A Guide to Colorful Entertaining - Hardcover

Pulitzer, Lilly; Mulvaney, Jay

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060577495 ISBN 13: 9780060577490

Publisher: William Morrow, 2004

Synopsis

More than just the woman who created the fashion empire that bears her name, Lilly Pulitzer exemplifies an attitude, a casual sort of elegance, a style called "affluence at ease." Lilly and her clothing wholeheartedly embrace color -- she made famous the pink and green combination -- and her love of vibrant hues and bold prints led the New York Times to recently call her "a major force in prep resort wear for forty years."

But Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau is also almost as well-known for her entertaining as she is for her fashions. A tribute to her insouciant lifestyle, Essentially Lilly is lavishly illustrated and peppered with anecdotal memories of a life filled with color. Joined by her family and close friends, Lilly recalls the parties, the decorating, the food, and the fashion that have been part of her life in Palm Beach since she arrived there in the 1950s.

With sections devoted to each part of the day, Essentially Lilly captures a variety of social events -- from a sunrise sail to a beach supper under the stars -- and imbues each with singular "Lilly style":

Mellow Yellow Mornings -- start the day off easy with a walk on the beach or a luxuriously lazy breakfast in bed. Take some friends out for an early morning sail or a country club brunch. Round off the morning hunting for a one-of-a-kind treasure at a local flea market.

Think Pink Afternoons -- rev up the middle of the day with a bridesmaids' lunch, a birthday cookout, or a charity tea. Perhaps you'd rather relax with a fruity pool party or a "just-looking" stroll down Palm Beach's fabled Worth Avenue.True Blue Evenings -- gather your friends together for a festive cocktail party or a romantic beach dinner under a full moon. Maybe it's a deep woods campfire that appeals to you, or watching a movie out under the stars, or just a simple pizza party for your family.

Essentially Lilly presents memories and menus, beautiful photographs and dazzling illustrations as well as dozens of recipes and entertaining suggestions to make your own get-togethers as successful as one of Lilly's famed parties. Best of all, Lilly offers her spirited advice throughout: "Just relax and have fun -- and be an individual," she says. "It's better that you enjoy yourself than it is to get it right." Good rules to live by.

"LILLY PULITZER trademarks and logos are the property of Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. The book, including the design on the cover, are Copyright © 2004 Sugartown Worldwide, Inc."

About this title

About the Authors

Lilly Pulitzer is the queen of pink and green. As the creator of the dress that bears her name, her effervescent style has clothed three generations of casually chic women. Much loved by all who know her, Lilly lives all year round in her jungle in the middle of Palm Beach.

Jay Mulvaney is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer whose books include Diana & Jackie: Maidens, Mothers, Myths; Jackie: the Clothes of Camelot; and Kennedy Weddings: A Family Album. He visits Palm Beach often, but lives in New York City.

From the Back Cover

More than just the woman who created the fashion empire that bears her name, Lilly Pulitzer exemplifies an attitude, a casual sort of elegance, a style called "affluence at ease." Lilly and her clothing wholeheartedly embrace color -- she made famous the pink and green combination -- and her love of vibrant hues and bold prints led the New York Times to recently call her "a major force in prep resort wear for forty years."

But Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau is also almost as well-known for her entertaining as she is for her fashions. A tribute to her insouciant lifestyle, Essentially Lilly is lavishly illustrated and peppered with anecdotal memories of a life filled with color. Joined by her family and close friends, Lilly recalls the parties, the decorating, the food, and the fashion that have been part of her life in Palm Beach since she arrived there in the 1950s.

With sections devoted to each part of the day, Essentially Lilly captures a variety of social events -- from a sunrise sail to a beach supper under the stars -- and imbues each with singular "Lilly style":

Mellow Yellow Mornings -- start the day off easy with a walk on the beach or a luxuriously lazy breakfast in bed. Take some friends out for an early morning sail or a country club brunch. Round off the morning hunting for a one-of-a-kind treasure at a local flea market.

Think Pink Afternoons -- rev up the middle of the day with a bridesmaids' lunch, a birthday cookout, or a charity tea. Perhaps you'd rather relax with a fruity pool party or a "just-looking" stroll down Palm Beach's fabled Worth Avenue.True Blue Evenings -- gather your friends together for a festive cocktail party or a romantic beach dinner under a full moon. Maybe it's a deep woods campfire that appeals to you, or watching a movie out under the stars, or just a simple pizza party for your family.

Essentially Lilly presents memories and menus, beautiful photographs and dazzling illustrations as well as dozens of recipes and entertaining suggestions to make your own get-togethers as successful as one of Lilly's famed parties. Best of all, Lilly offers her spirited advice throughout: "Just relax and have fun -- and be an individual," she says. "It's better that you enjoy yourself than it is to get it right." Good rules to live by.

"LILLY PULITZER trademarks and logos are the property of Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. The book, including the design on the cover, are Copyright © 2004 Sugartown Worldwide, Inc."

Reviews

For country clubbers, Lilly Pulitzer's dresses are the ultimate in preppy chic. The designer's frocks, which feature primarily pink and green floral designs, were made popular by both Jackie Kennedy and Palm Beach socialites, and are still the clothing of choice among East Coast tennis and golf enthusiasts. Now Pulitzer, who prides herself not only on her dresses but also on her ability to throw a swinging shindig in her Palm Beach backyard jungle, has jumped on the here's-how-to-entertain-with-style-and-grace bandwagon, joining Kate Spade, Martha Stewart and others. Pulitzer and Mulvaney organize their bright, coffee-table-sized volume by event, from casual occasions like sailing, campfires and breakfast in bed, to more official affairs, including bridesmaids' luncheons, "G&T" brunches and beach suppers. The recipes feature standard summer fare, such as Beer- and Lime-Marinated Flank Steak, Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers, Key Lime Mojitos and Poached Salmon with Lemon-Dill Mayonnaise. Mulvaney provides third-person commentary, while Pulitzer pipes in with occasional quotes, evident in lines such as, "Entertaining comes in many guises-sometimes it's a sit-down dinner for twenty-four and sometimes it's just breakfast in bed. 'I love the whole idea of breakfast in bed,' says Lilly. 'Imagine starting your day with such pampered luxury.' " With its photos of Lilly Pulitzer-clad models frolicking on lawns, this upbeat paean to laid-back living is sure to enchant denizens of Lilly's world, however insular a group they may be.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Essentially Lilly

By Pulitzer, Lilly

HarperResource

ISBN: 0060577495

Key Lime Mojitos

10 Servings

Adjust the amount of sugar in this recipe according to your preference.

2 1/2 cups light rum
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice (half of juice from Key limes, if available)
3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar
3 3/4 cups club soda
10 large sprigs fresh mint (about 4 to 6 leaves each)
Crushed ice

1. Stir rum, lime juice and sugar in large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Add club soda and stir gently.


2. Divide mint among 10 glasses. Using back of spoon, crush mint sprigs in glasses.


3. Add crushed ice to glasses. Pour mojito mixture over mint and ice, dividing equally among glasses. Serve immediately.

Fettuccini With Saffron Cream Sauce and Lobster

8 Servings

2 cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1 1/2 pounds fettuccini (fresh or dried)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
4 frozen lobster tails, thawed (or fresh, see note)
4 shallots, peeled, minced
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring wine to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add saffron. Let stand 15 minutes.


2. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain. Return pasta to pot; set aside.


3. Melt butter in heavy large skillet. Add lobster tails and sauté until shells are bright red, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until done, about 5 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, transfer lobster tails to cutting board. Cut each tail in half lengthwise. Remove meat, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Do not clean skillet.
4. Return same skillet to medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Pour wine-saffron mixture into skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add cream, lemon juice and salt and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Pour sauce over pasta; place over medium heat. Add lobster and toss until sauce coats pasta and lobster, about 2 minutes. Stir in chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

NOTE: If you prefer, use the meat from boiled live lobsters -- it will yield more tender results. Using half the butter, sauté the shallots, and add the lobster meat at the very end.

"LILLY PULITZER trademarks and logos are the property of Sugartown Worldwide, Inc. The book, including the design on the cover, are Copyright© 2004 Sugartown Worldwide, Inc." Continues...

Excerpted from Essentially Lillyby Pulitzer, Lilly Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060577495
• ISBN 13: 9780060577490
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192