An Affair to Remember (1997)

Tinseltown caterers throw discretion to the wind — sort of. Starstruck Grippo (on Elizabeth Taylor: ''The thought of meeting her gave me goose bumps!'') hopes Harrison Ford will scarf his specialty spanakopita and reveals the finer print of Pat Benatar's Christmas menu in Hollywood Dish!. While in An Affair to Remember, Kessler rounds up prestigious party planners — now commonly known as ''event producers'' — to divulge their recipes for only-in-L.A. concoctions like cappuccino of tomato (ewww!), along with truistic little tips such as ''Lighting is an important atmospheric element.'' The routine excess in both books — a wall of water parting like the Red Sea when it's time for din-din; birthday cake too big to fit through the kitchen door — may leave the humble commoner a little queasy. Both books: C

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