Brie Larson and Courtney McBroom's cookbook is part hosting advice and part recipe box, full of fun, easy recipes for gatherings big and small.
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Reimagined holiday dinners, dog birthdays, your kid’s kindergarten graduation, friends’ engagements (or divorces), watching the Super Bowl or spending a Saturday night spilling the tea with my bestie, I’m there with bells, a bottle of something and snacks. Yes, I am a party person. That’s why I couldn’t wait to crack open Party People, the new cookbook from actress Brie Larson and former Milk Bar culinary director Courtney McBroom.
The two worked together on the Apple+ series, Lessons in Chemistry. Larson starred in the lead role, and McBroom served as head food consultant. But they were friends well before that, meeting at a party (of course) and bonding over a pot of McBroom’s famous queso. Both come from a long line of party throwers, and it shows. Their creative energy is infectious, especially when throwing themed parties for everything from Game of Thrones nights to an afternoon Hot Dog Appreciation Club gathering.
That passion for bringing friends together over food, drink and occasional board games jumps off the pages of their cookbook. It’s like a Technicolor dream of gatherings with busy flash-lit photos, pop-up bubbles with helpful tips, prep lists and playlist suggestions. If you don’t have a reason to throw a party, you’ll find one after flipping through these pages.
Party People’s 100 recipes cover everything, from a staple ranch seasoning blend to desserts. The first half covers pantry basics, condiments and party essentials, aka “basic recipes for any occasion.” You’ll find batched cocktails, like a Tex-Mex martini and slushies, or bubbly things like a French 75 or amaro lambrusco spritz. The party snacks chapter has my full attention: miso deviled eggs, tomato tarts, pepperoni pizza pockets, and Cheesy Jenga Bread, which I don’t need a party to make and eat (more on that later).
The second half brings the party together, with hosting tips like creating the right ambiance and food prep plans for casual, fancy or tiny parties. For casual parties, there’s queso, casseroles and dips; fancy parties have “showstopping mains,” like kalua pork, salads and sides like lemony miso butter beans and tiny parties include easy recipes for two (or one).
Themed party ideas include breakfast spreads and an after-party detox with a nutrient-rich smoothie, face mask, CBD coffee and “probably some breakfast taco casserole.” The “perfect mess” theme party sounds like the most fun: Doritos canapes, pork ribs with Swayze sauce and Aperol Negroni melon balls.
One of the first recipes that jumped out to me was the Cheesy Jenga Bread, a pull-apart bread based on Larson’s great-grandma’s recipe. It only calls for a handful of ingredients—unsliced white bread, butter, cheese spread, shredded mozzarella, garlic and garlic salt—and a good bread knife. The most complicated part of the recipe is cutting the bread into various sections and spackling them with the butter cheese spread. But there are very detailed instructions and even a visual guide.
“Much like learning the rules to a new card game, it’s best to dive in and learn this recipe as you go” is their advice. I can’t lie; I read the instructions several times before getting it. My pro tip is to use very spreadable cheese and soft butter. Soften them if they don’t whip together easily.
The recipe calls for Kraft Old English Spread, the cheese Larson’s great-grandma used, or Whole Foods garlic and herb spreadable cheese. I used Président Pub Cheese, which worked well. My kitchen was cold, so my butter and cheese didn’t soften enough, and the spread was more like mortar than spackle, which didn’t stick to the bread too well. After softening them more, I got the intended result.
Once you cut the bread and Jenga it back together with buttery cheese spread, it bakes in the oven for about 20 minutes. It ends up being like an amped-up garlic bread loaded with cheesy flavor. It was delicious and quickly devoured. I can see serving this at any casual get-together, prepping it ahead and tossing it in the oven right before everyone arrives. It might just be my new favorite potluck recipe.
Party People feels like the cookbook we could all use right now. When things seem bleak (gestures broadly) everywhere, one antidote is connecting with others, gathering with family or friends for a few laughs, good music, tear-and-share cheesy bread or a good casserole.
The layout sometimes feels a little busy, more like a social media feed than a cookbook. But that’s not a deal-breaker; it’s what makes it fun! The recipes are easy to follow with instructive headnotes, and there are enough thoughtful vegetarian ideas to keep everyone happy. The whole book feels like a party, which I love, and everyone’s invited.
I also like that it’s part entertaining advice—think Martha Stewart with less restraint, lots more color and a Polaroid camera—and part cookbook. If you never saw yourself as the party-throwing type, Larson and McBroom are here to tell you that anyone can do it. Anyone can make these recipes for any reason: Diane Keaton night, a stress-free backyard barbecue, or simply celebrating getting through another Monday. I’ll keep many of these recipes handy for last-minute gatherings, TV-watching with the hubs or spreading queso cheer during the holidays.
