My friend Maddy is a Putlitzer prize-winning journalist, a gifted professor at two colleges, and a frequent hostess. I don’t think she can go more than two or three weeks without planning a party. So how does she manage to entertain so often with such a hectic schedule?  She has mastered the art of the potluck.

Typically, when she phones or emails to say she’s thinking about having a party, those in her circle of friends automatically respond with “what can I bring?,” for we all know how busy she is. She graciously accepts our offers for appetizers, desserts, or sometimes salads, and then spends her time concentrating on the main course.

Last Saturday night my husband and I arrived at her house with all the fixings for brushette topped with cannellini bean puree, arugula, and crispy sautéed prosciutto.