'Celebrate beginnings, middles and ends of seasons, New Year, Valentine's Day, end of school year, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, end of the week, Saturdays and Sundays. There are so many occasions to celebrate. You can have a celebration every day if you are up to it. People who love good food embrace life and will find this a reason, as much as designated days, for festivity. Sharing food at a table is also sharing joie de vivre, bonhomie and spirituality. Raise a glass to celebrate life and be thankful that you have been given an entitlement to bountiful food.'
So says chef, caterer and cookbook author extraordinaire Ruth Pretty, for whom entertaining has always been at the forefront of her life. Whether your occasion is a celebration, a summer barbecue, a cosy winter fireside meal, a posh affair or simply drinks and nibbles, you are sure to find plenty of recipes to delight and impress your guests and create special memories in Ruth Pretty Entertains.
Photography by Murray Lloyd.