Best Cooking Tips

One-stage birthday cake 115g (4oz) soft margarine 115g (4oz) caster sugar 2 eggs (size 3) 115g (4oz) self-raising flour 5ml (1tsp) baking powder Place the ingredients in a bowl and beat for two to three minutes with a wooden spoon, or one minute with an electric hand mixer. Turn into two greased, base-lined 180mm (7in) tins and bake at 190°C (375°F/Gas Mark Read more [...]

  Choosing the food Party food for children of any age should be colourful, fun and easy to eat, preferably with fingers. Sweet or savoury? Children are often drawn to sweet foods because they are more colourful, so make some novelty savoury foods to tempt them -the mini-kebabs or spiral sandwiches. Party cakes Avoid rich, creamy cakes and sticky icings at children’s Read more [...]

How to feed an extra guest Soups Add stock, wine or cream to extend soup without spoiling the flavour. Casseroles Depending on the type of casserole, add a tin of sweetcorn, kidney beans, tomatoes or other suitable ingredients. A dash of wine will make the juices go farther without watering them down. Rice If there’s no time to cook an extra portion, heat and stir Read more [...]

  Polished tabletops If you’re worried about spills damaging a polished tabletop, lay a piece of plastic sheeting or clingfilm under the tablecloth. If hot dishes will be placed on the table, place a blanket under the cloth. Don’t put mats under the tablecloth; they will create an uneven surface that may cause spills. Put them on top where they can be seen. Patterned Read more [...]

  Spread the workload Plan your menu so that as many dishes as possible can be prepared a day or two in advance, or more if you have a freezer. Special diets Check any special needs such as vegetarian or diabetic food with your guests before planning your menu. Timing the meal Don’t plan to serve the meal the minute guests arrive. Allow extra time in case they Read more [...]

Non-drinkers Don’t forget to order soft drinks for non-drinkers. Fresh fruit juices and cordials mixed with mineral water will go much further than fizzy drinks as they tend to be more refreshing. Don’t be caught short To be on the safe side, over-cater rather than under-cater on drink for your party. Buy from a wine shop that sells on a sale-or-return basis, so that Read more [...]

White wine Chill all white wines to about 10°C (50° F) before serving. Don’t over-chill or the flavour will be lost; an hour in the fridge is usually enough. Serve sweet wines at a slightly lower temperature (6-8°C/43-46°F) than dry whites. In emergencies, you can chill a white wine in the freezer, but only for five minutes, and set a timer so that you don’t forget Read more [...]

Room for everyone If you’re catering for large numbers at home or in a hall, you will need to allow a space 1.2m x 1.2m (4ft x 4ft) per person. When placing guests around a large table, leave elbow room of about 760mm (2-1/2ft) between settings. Choosing guests The smaller the party, the more careful you need to be in choosing your guests. Two visitors with strong – Read more [...]

  Allow plenty of time For a large, formal occasion such as a wedding, it’s usual to send out written or printed invitations at least four weeks in advance. For smaller, informal parties, write or telephone to invite guests about two weeks in advance. Check the invitations Before you send them, check all invitations to make sure you haven’t left off any vital Read more [...]

  Large parties Unless you frequently entertain large numbers of guests, it’s cheaper to hire equipment such as cutlery, plates, dishes, trays and bowls rather than buy. Look for specialist catering hire companies in your local newspaper or Yellow Pages under ‘Catering equipment hire’. If you ask around you may even find friends or a local church group or school Read more [...]