Alison Roman’s guide to effortless (non) entertaining

ROASTING A NICE chicken for people is such a good way to say, I love you.

I recently found this note to myself scrawled on the back of an electrical bill I had probably forgotten to pay, written one night after a dinner party. There was likely a lot of wine that night (the best ideas always come from a lot of wine), and well-intentioned (but fragmented) deep chicken thought.

I realised after reading the note that it was the first time I articulated exactly what I wanted this book to be about, and what I want you to get out of it – because using your time and resources to feed people you care about is the ultimate expression of love. And love is about expressing joy, so the other thing I want you to get out of this is, You can do this.

I have always been allergic to the word ‘entertaining’, which to me implies there’s a show, something performative at best and inauthentic at worst. But having people over? Well, that’s just making dinner, but you know, with more people. Unfussy food, unfussy vibes and the permission to be imperfect, no occasion necessary (other than to eat, of course).

This is an edited extract from Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (Hardie Grant Books, $45). Photographer: © Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott.

style

Having people over means never having to say you’re sorry. Not for your mismatched plates or the fact that you don’t own any ‘real’ wine glasses or the fact dinner is actually being served closer to 9.30 than 7.30 (just make sure there are snacks). Embrace the quirky imperfections that make dinner at your house special.

menu

Low-stress and high-impact recipes designed to make your life easier when cooking for others. Colourful platters of vegetables doused in crispy crunchy bits, casually roasted meat scattered with herbs, one-bowl just-sweet-enough desserts. This is not about living an aspirational life; it’s about living an attainable one. You know, the one that comes with not really having enough time to braise a whole pot of short ribs before people arrive (but you try anyway), accidentally burnt cakes (just cut those parts off), and not enough chairs to seat everyone at once (sit on the floor?). It’s the life we live, it’s messy as hell, it’s nothing fancy – and I’m sure you wouldn’t want it any other way.

drinks

I love wine. I love white wine, orange wine, pink wine, red wine. I love wine that’s chilled and wine that’s not. I love wine with bubbles and wine without. So how to know what wine to pick? My advice is to start by asking for suggestions from people who know more than you about wine. This can be your local wine shop, the server from your favourite restaurant, or your friend who won’t shut up about ‘Pét-Nats’.

DIY bars

Since making individual ‘tinis for everyone who walks through the door is not on my agenda for any evening, I like to make one giant batch, and since shaking a giant batch of martinis is absolutely out of the question, I prefer them stirred. When guests arrive, offer them a beverage, including a martini. When they say, “I would love a martini!”, smile and point them in the direction of the well-curated martini bar and say, “All you, baby!”