Dear Abby: A party with an Abby theme

DEAR ABBY: We have enjoyed an international dinner club with three other couples for many years. Besides an international theme, we occasionally have other theme dinners.

The host couple chooses the country and is responsible for the main course. Another couple brings an associated entree, the third couple brings dessert and the fourth couple provides the wine. We rotate responsibilities so we host only once every four months. We have become close friends over many memorable meals together, sharing pregnancy announcements, child rearing, graduations, weddings and anniversaries.

I think a “Dear Abby” dinner would be fun to host, and I’d love to plan a meal around your cookbooks. Would you please advise how this avid reader might get copies? — CHEF MIKE IN CANADA

DEAR CHEF MIKE: I know a Dear Abby dinner party would be enjoyable, because readers have written to tell me they’ve hosted one, and it made for an interesting and fun evening.

The recipes are traditional, easy to read, simple to prepare and delicious. As I mentioned to a reader from Little Rock who inquired about the booklet, one hostess described decorating her place cards with appliqued hearts and tiny flowers. She created a centerpiece by making a “bouquet” of envelopes addressed to Dear Abby.

Another woman copied questions from past columns, printed them out and made them into a party game, instructing her guests to supply the answers. She said that after a few glasses of wine, some of the answers they came up with were hilarious, but not suitable for printing in a family newspaper.

My cookbooklet set contains more than 100 tasty recipes ranging from soups to salads, appetizers, main courses and desserts. The recipes can also be used for holiday celebrations and other special occasions. To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $14 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby — Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. My mother used many of these recipes for dinner parties, and so have I. I particularly recommend the Pecan Pie recipe — which has been printed in this column before because it has taken prizes at county fairs.

It was given to Mama by the chef at the now-demolished Phoenix Hotel in Lexington, Kentucky, and people rave about it. DEAR ABBY: Folks always tell me that gals like to be wooed, but when I holler “woo” at them, they give me dirty looks. What’s up with that? — ABBY FAN FROM TWITTER

DEAR FAN: Decades ago, “gals” would have been flattered. But since the women’s movement, many females would regard your attempt to be friendly as a form of sexual harassment rather than a compliment. Instead of “hollering,” try saying hello and you may get better results.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.