Basic Menu Planning

Hosting a dinner party can be a tricksy thing to do. What shall I serve? When? And how? are all questions which crop up before you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Firstly, what type of dinner party are you going for?

• An informal buffet
• A afternoon tea
• A sit down dinner

Lets look at each in turn -

An informal buffet is the easiest to arrange. Make sure you have a large enough table to host it on. Start with plates at one end so the guests can go around the table picking up things to nibble. Food should be petite, warm or cold, and balance nicely. Try theming the meal such as indian, or italian or go for an occasion such christmas or birthday. We'll look at these in a minute. Here's some suggestions for food:

• Chicken Skewers and satay peanut sauce
• Cheese board with crackers - such as danish blue, wensleydale, creamy brie, camembert
• Waldorf salad
• Pear and parma ham crostini
• Beef Skewers and sweet chilli dipping sauce
• Hummus with potato skins
• Cajun dip
• Onion bhajis
• Vegetable pakoras
• Stuffed vine leaves
• Black olive and red wine pate
• Garlic and basil marinaded olives
• Couscous and chickpea salad
• Roast pepper couscous
• Caramel prawns
• Salad nicoise
• Paprika eggs

An afternoon tea is simple to serve for a few friends gathered together. Serve everything at once and delve in. Try hand cut sandwiches of various flavours cut into triangles with the crust cut off for true afternoon tea style. Serve scones with jams and clotted cream. A side salad either a waldorf or a nicoise is nice with some pickles and chutneys. Little biscuits or cheese and crackers and a decent slice of cake of some kind - traditionally coffee or chocolate. Don't forget the teapot and tea! Choose a afternoon tea or earl grey or traditional english.

A sit down dinner with starter, main course and dessert is the hardest to accomodate but think of what you are trying to accomplish - is it an occasion such as christmas or a birthday? or do you enjoy a particular cuisine? Here are some meal suggestions:

• Starter: French Onion Soup Main: Coq au vin Dessert: Poached pears
• Starter: Onion Bhajis and vegetable samosas Main: Aloo Gobi Dessert: Kulfi
• Starer: Pear and parma Ham crostini Main: Vegetable lasgana Dessert: Profitoroles

These are just a few suggestions but have fun deciding what to nibble and don't panic! Have fun decorating the place settings too and table decorations. Have a generous selection of drinks to hand as well, alcoholic and non alcoholic. Try your hand at a few cocktails if you like!