Dip it! Great Party Food to Spread, Spoon, and Scoop
by Rick Rodgers

197 pages;  No photographs or sketches.  Hardcover

Published by William Morrow/Harper Collins, NY, NY, May 2002

Reviewed by Ai Mitsui for Good Cooking, Spring 2003
Rick Rodgers's Dip It is a cookbook with traditional recipes. Going to a party in any corner of the world, you are bound to find dip, and this book has a lot of dips from all over the world. If you have a party at your home, it could be helpful because people would became more familiar with foreign cuisines. 
I tried the recipes for Caponata and Guacamole. About Caponata, I was surprised because the ingredients used sugar. I sometimes cook Caponata, but never used sugar. I checked other book's recipes and understood that some recipes use sugar, and others don't. I liked this recipe using sugar. But I would like to know which it is for this famous and popular Sicilian dish. 
About Guacamole, I think the author's recipe is so nice because it is very quick and easy. This book has a few kinds of avocado dip: creamy avocado dip and Diane's (his friend) Supreme avocado dip. Creamy avocado dip used Crema (it is Mexican sour cream) and Diane's Supreme avocado dip used sour cream, mayonnaise, Cheddar and olives. That sounds so delicious!

Here are the Caponata and Guacamole that I made:



There is also a section on how to make chips and dippers with helpful suggestions. Each chapter has ideas for what to dip. He also helps the reader about how to serve the dips. I think homemade is so nice!