Linda Mutschler hosted more than 30 dinner parties at her home as research for her book.

Linda Mutschler knows about goal setting. A magna cum laude Harvard graduate who became the No. 1 ranked U.S. wireless services analyst while at Merrill Lynch, she trained as a speed skater for the 1998 Winter Olympics while working full time, just missing the team by one place.

After retiring from Wall Street at age 40, Mutschler, in her typical goal-setting fashion, made a list for the next five years. Get in shape. Learn to cook. Write a book. A few years later, Mutschler, 44, can check each item off as complete. Of course, she wasn’t satisfied just losing a few pounds or mastering the art of the pot roast. She ran marathons, meticulously researched multicourse dinner parties and wrote a book walking the rest of us through the step-by-step process of hosting a successful dinner for eight.

"My husband says he can’t wait to see what’s coming next," Mutschler says with a laugh from the comfort of her historic Lake Drive home.

When she set her goals, Mutschler searched for the book she needed — a guide to walk her through every aspect of cooking and hosting a dinner party. She couldn’t find it, so she tackled the job herself.

The result is a tome that employs the analytical approach that made Mutschler a success on the trading floor and the skating rink. The 16 menus are divided into four seasons and include every detail, from what wine to pair with each course to when to purchase the vegetables and clean the guest bath. From one week out, ambitious hostesses will be able to use Mutschler’s recipes, check lists and grocery lists to make sure everything is prepared, no stress allowed.

Thirty dinner parties in 2007 were the experimenting grounds for the book, and Mutschler asked guests to comment on the menu, the dessert, the table and more. Neighbors, business colleagues, even strangers she met on airplanes were fair game for an invitation. The feedback helped her fine tune each detail. In the course of the year, however, she gained more than research for her book — she connected with a whole new community and discovered the link between food and fellowship.