Party Time

The festive season is upon us, which typically in our household means over indulgence and plenty of parties to prepare for. I have a fairly standard party menu that mostly involves finger food. I find it so much more sociable to graze with a glass of bubbly or cocktail than it is to sit in a corner, precariously balancing a plate on your lap, especially if like me you are known for making a huge mess and spilling things.

So a classic gathering would need to include plenty of nibblies (yes Thomas’ Germish comes through here) starting with a selection of dips. My main stays are houmous, guacamole and a Tunisian carrot dip, to which I’ve recently added a spiced beetroot dip made from a blend of beetroot, yoghurt, lime juice and cumin. I serve with a selection of crispy vegetable sticks, such as carrots and sweet peppers as well as tortilla chips – if you are feeling creative you can easily make you own or if not no one will mind the shop bought ones but just be careful not to get the cheesy varieties as they don’t go so well with the dip selection!