A wry and practical guide to the family meal. Veteran food writer and columnist Marialisa Calta offers advice, strategies, and recipes from families across the country, addressing the peculiar challenges and delights of enjoying dinner as a family. Part cookbook, part survival manual, part humor book, part voyeuristic peek into our neighbors' kitchens, Barbarians at the Plateis a field guide to an all-too-endangered species these days: the family meal. Barbarians at the Platecovers: - Last-minute meals - Slow-cookers and other effort-saving appliances - Barbecuing - Making the most of leftovers - Accommodating picky eaters - Creating mealtime traditions - Getting everyone to participate in cooking and clean-up - Insights into the ways families survive and thrive around the dinner table