Festive Dinner Party Ideas With Seasonal Food And Gin Cocktails...

amara tablewear, autumn dinner party, Binky Nixon Photography, Canapes, Christmas dinner party, christmas food, dinner party ideas, dinner party tablescapes, festive dinner party, festive food, food photography, friends dinner party, gin cocktail recipe*, gin cocktails*, gin fizz*, hosting a dinner party, intimate dinner party, mr and mrs unique, party food ideas, seasonal dinner party, seasonal food, tablescapes, The Basement Florist, Tuck in London, winter dinner party

‘Tis the season to get merry…

I can’t actually believe we are on the countdown to Christmas… it’s like literally next week!

Christmas is a time to be surrounded by your loved ones AND it’s all about the food and drink. This year I’m off to the in-laws for Christmas day; but before then I’m hosting pre-xmas drinks at mine with friends, then afterwards my family will be coming to mine for Boxing Day. I’m pretty sure you will have to roll me out of my house when this festive period is done! lol!

So if like me food and drink is a priority and sitting around a table eating, drinking, laughing and playing games is up your street, then todays post will offer some inspiration for some intimate festive dinner party ideas.

A few weeks ago I invited Noeleen from The Basement Florist, Louisa from street food catering Tuck In London and my lovely friend Binky from Binky Nixon Photography over for an intimate dinner party. The theme was festive and seasonal… delicious seasonal food surrounded by the prettiest seasonal flowers.

The girls brought round their bits whilst I sorting out my house for the gathering. For me a tidy house, a cool sound track, some colourful tasting platters, some beautiful flowers and candle light is all you need to make your home warm and welcoming for your guests. I also ordered some tableware, serving platters and cocktails glasses from Amara to make the table look extra stylish and compliment the food on display.

Whilst Noeleen put together some stunning floral arrangements for the table, Louisa cooked up a storm serving up Vietnamese spring rolls, bruschetta with squash and pesto, olive crackers with gorgonzola and fig and falafel with pomegranate… I can’t even sum up how delicious this all was and how pretty it all looked.

We also have two recipes to share with you from our little party; a Gluten free Blini with beetroot hummus (obviously you can use normal flour but as I’m GF we catered to allergy needs,) and also a OMG tasty Pomegranate Gin Fizz Cocktail… trust me its a winner! Enjoy! Whatever you have planned for Christmas I hope its merry and full of happiness :))

Recipe for Gluten Free Blinis + Beetroot Hummus…

Blinis…

100g gluten free self raising flour

1 egg separated

150ml milk

25g butter melted

Place the flour in a bowl. Mix the milk and egg yolk, melted butter and add to the flour. Whisk the egg whites to soft peak then gentle fold into the flour mix. Spoon into a hot, oiled frying pan and flip once golden brown.

Hummus…

1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

400g cooked beetroot

1/2 tsp salt

Juice 1/2 lemon

1 garlic clove

crushed 2 tbsp tahini

100ml extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz. A splash of water may be added to loosen the hummus so it can be puréed to a smooth paste. To serve, warm the blinis in a low oven. Top with a generous amount of hummus. This is a great base for many toppings such as Feta, grilled Halloumi, smoked fish such as salmon or mackerel. Cured meats such as Serrano ham works very well too.

Pomegranate Gin Fizz Recipe…

25ml Single measure of Gin – We added Monkey 47 as it’s a firm favourite in my household

25ml Single measure of Grenadine juice

Lashings of Prosecco – any favourite brand

We decorated with pomegranate pips and and edible flowers and served it up in the prettiest cocktail glasses and on the coolest Tom Dixon serving platter from Amara.