CONTINENTAL ENTERTAINING FOR THE YOUNG AND BUSY

The best thing about this smorgasbord of continental dishes -- most drawn from the ethnic cuisines of Eastern Europe -- without doubt is the desserts: a walnut torte from Poland to cap off a dinner party, baba au rhum from Prague to go with the afternoon coffee, Viennese hazelnut cookies to bestow on friends at Christmas. But there is more substantial fare as well though Miss Zeranska is sufficiently influenced by French gastronomy to avoid those heavy one-pot soups and stews so characteristic of peasant cooking. The recipes are bright and showy and geared toward specific occasions though there's no reason why a mushroom pie designated for a late night snack can't turn up at brunch.