RUTH ROGERS
The season to eat, drink and be merry is once more upon us. Whatever the size of soirée we are allowed to hold this year, make a beautiful banquet of it, says Oilbhe, the Countess of Belfast, who balances her career as a barrister in Dublin with a passion for entertaining. ‘When I was a girl, it used to be my job to lay the table, and my mother taught me how to get creative – in winter, I’d make things like candied oranges to bring it to life,’ she says. ‘Later, studying art history at university, I discovered Matisse’s The Dinner Table, showing a lady perfecting the flowers of a laden lunch spread. It has inspired me ever since.’ These days, the Countess is an accomplished hostess, admired as much for her artful centrepieces as for her boeuf bourguignon. ‘Parties at home are just so much more intimate than in a restaurant, particularly at this time of year. Having the fire roaring and the house filled with friends’ laughter is the perfect antidote to a dark, dreary night outside,’ she reflects. ‘We’ll play jazz LPS on my husband’s record player, make sloe gin fizzes and light candles.’
On the following pages, the Countess has set the scene for a quintet of quintessential seasonal celebrations, which are accompanied by recipes and reminiscences from five of Town & Country’s favourite chefs. From twinkling tealights for a wondrous Winter Solstice to tabletop tartan come Burns Night, entertaining inspiration for the party season abounds, whether you are cooking for a crowd or decking the halls for dinner à deux. charlotte brook Oilbhe Belfast’s Tablescape Style (www.tablescapestyle.com; @tablescapestyle).
Thanksgiving is the most significant holiday of the year for my family, as Americans who have lived in London for so long. It is important for me to keep it traditional, and to cook and think about food in the way I do at the River Café. The menu varies: one year, we began with a pumpkin risotto, another with oysters, and last year with leaves of puntarella. For the turkey, we make a classic bread and chestnut stuffing and serve it with braised seasonal greens such as cavolo nero, to savour the new season’s Tuscan olive oil. River Café gift boxes start at £275, and are available for delivery to London postcodes from www.shoptherivercafe.co.uk.