A FIREPIT HALLOWE’EN PARTY

Afirepit will revolutionise your autumn dinner parties, say Lucy Carr-ellison and Jemima Jones, founders of catering company Tart London (tart-london.com). “Jemima has built one into the ground at her farm in Somerset and I have a cheap one in my non-existent garden in London,” Carr-ellison says. “Guests arrive to a crackling fire and can ladle themselves a cup of something warming – last weekend we enjoyed an apple cider spiked with brandy”.

The key is to make your menu as simple as possible – then you can enjoy the fire, too. “Go to your local deli and pick up some cut meats, green olives, Manchego, sourdough and olive oil, then arrange them on platters,” Jones says. “Your guests can help themselves to these outside, and then come inside for something warming and slow-cooked, like pork or lamb chops.” The kitchen table can be uncovered, with linen napkins, mismatched glasses and ceramic sharing dishes of salads and vegetables. “We like to lay foliage and sprigs of herbs down the table and scatter it with maple leaves and berries. Then light some candles – when the wax starts dripping down the effect is quite magical,” CarrEllison says. Rather than fussing over a pudding, the Tart girls suggest making life easy with a cheeseboard and some chutneys and fruit. “It’s all in the presentation, rather than the hours over the stove,” Jones says. “Once you’ve got the main dish in the oven, you can focus on making everything else look pretty.” Eight guests is the ideal number for this kind of party; make sure you invite new friends as well as old to keep it interesting, Jones adds.