Photo by Tamin Jones and Kate Whitaker
“If you’re going to entertain, the first person who needs to have a good time is... you. If you’re stressed out, or you’ve taken on too much, you’re going to be miserable, and consequently your guests will be, too.” Amen to this. If you’re not a caterer, providing food for a party can be a stress and a struggle. I mean, left to myself, I’d be happy to have nothing but cocktail sausages, Frazzles, Twiglets and some chips and dip and perhaps some Parmesan shortbreads, but it can be good to be branch out. Besides, sometimes one needs to do more than offer bits to soak up alcohol: one actually wants to feed people. And this is where The Art of the Party comes in. If anyone should know about how to throw a party, it’s Kay Plunkett-Hogge, and this small, witty volume contains ideas for cocktails and party food that make me want to start sending out invitations straight away!
Given the time of year, I’m sharing a recipe here with seasonal appeal, in the form of Festive Sausage Rolls, which “everybody loves … warm from the oven and smelling of good times”.
The Art of the Party by Kay Plunkett-Hogge, is published by Mitchell Beazley, £12.99, www.octopusbooks.co.uk
Image credit: Tamin Jones and Kate Whitaker
