It is not a secret that I LOVE a dinner party. I love it all. The menu planning, the table laying, deciding which recipe goes on which dish and who should sit next to who. Popping the cork of a bottle of champagne we’ve been saving for months, or mixing cocktails into glasses chilled in the freezer the night before so that everything is glacially cold. I love to fiddle around with canapés and put them on my prettiest plate and I will always make a pudding, because no party is complete without a pudding. I love the theatre of it all, the lipstick smudged napkins, secrets and red wine splashed over the tablecloth, and the cigarettes none of us planned on smoking but inhaled giddily as we confessed our biggest doubts and biggest dreams.
But whilst I love tradition I find myself entertaining less and less in the format of starter - main - pudding. There will always be a cold drink in your hand no less than two minutes after you walk through the door, usually alongside something moreish and indulgent -devilled eggs or gildas are my favourite. But once we sit down I want to be there with you.
Rather than clattering about in the kitchen in a hot flush, I like to cook in a way that allows me to actually be at the party. Recipes that can be prepped ahead or dishes that require a quick toss or squeeze of lemon before serving. Food that can be shared at the table, eaten messily and joyfully with spatters of olive oil and parsley kissing everyone’s cheeks. Rather than serving a starter and a main I like to cook a medley of good things and these courgettes are a very good thing.
My cookbook Cooking Made Simple is based entirely around the concept. About navigating your kitchen and making it work for you. It is currently 24% off on Amazon. Thank you SO much to those of you who have purchased and cooked from it already. If you would like your own copy you can get one here!
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I have been cooking with this beautiful French olive oil all summer. Querubi is a single-estate olive oil is pressed entirely from organic olives. The family use only local olive tree varieties such as Verdal, Poumal, Oliviere, Picholine and Arbequine (the names remind me of Shakespearean fairies which I adore). It has an almost creamy pepperiness that is wonderful both for cooking and drizzling and is harvested by a family. I buy it on subscription which works out at just £23 a bottle. Querubi have kindly given me a special code for readers. Use the code ADXQUERUBI10 for 10% off your first order.
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