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Come Dine with Me, How to throw the Perfect Dinner Party
The Channel 4 TV show Come Dine with Me and it’s Celebrity spin off have released a book for all of us aspiring for the perfect Dinner party. Subtitled “How to throw the Perfect Dinner Party” this is much more than just a recipe book.
Planning the Party
The first 60 pages of the book focus on the planning of a dinner party, it may sound easy but the book makes you sit back and think what recipes complement each other, difficulty, timings and little hints such as keeping track of what you’ve cooked for who in case they come around again!
But planning a party isn’t just about food, this section of the book reminds you to think of drinks, how clean your house is, setting the table, and common cookery mistakes to avoid. Even a few tips for being the perfect host or guest.
The Recipes
The final 130 pages show winning recipes from the series, split into starters, mains and desserts. Plus the top ten winning recipes. The recipes contain a clear list of ingredients and simple numbered instructions. The only negative is that not all recipes have accompanying images of the dish and while they have clear cooking times there isn’t an overall preparation time, but I suppose everyone cooks at different speeds.
My favourite recipes
Some of my favourite recipes from the book are
Starters
Latkes & grilled vegetables with goats cheese and a basil oil
Chilled Melon with parma ham parmesan cheese and rocket
Slow cooked chilli with nachos
Mains
Vegetable Mossaka
Jamaican Chicken
Filet of Beef in wild mushroom sauce with potatoes dauphinoise & spinach
Desserts
Spiced orange chocolate cheesecake
Warm banana tarts served with ice cream & rum
Hot chocolate fondant with a lemon pot & raspberry coulis.
To be honest I had trouble getting them down to just three favourites (especially the desserts). If you’re planning a dinner party this is a great book to have to hand for fantastic recipes from the TV series and good tips to ensure your party is a success.
Now I just need to find more excuses for dinner parties!
Welcome to our weekly rundown of cookery programs on TV. If you watch any we’d love to hear your views in the comments, especially if you try any of the recipes!
Monday 9th March
Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15
Gladiators James Crossley (Hunter) and Du’Aine Ladejo (Predator) pitch full-bloodedly into the kitchen contest. Ainsley Harriott presides over another classic twenty-minute cooking challenge.
Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00
It is the first day of finals week, and eight celebrities have made it through from the previous rounds. Today the surviving celebs have been sent out of the studio to Hammersmith Catering College in West London where they will have to cook their signature dishes for three uncompromising food critics – Bill Buckley, Charles Campion and Sophie Grigson. Only six celebrities will make it through to the next stage.
It is definitely not a case of ‘here’s one I made earlier’ in the kitchen today, as former Blue Peter presenters Zoë Salmon and Matt Baker battle it out to see who is top of the hobs. Ainsley Harriott hosts the conversation and the cooking for another classic twenty-minute culinary challenge.
Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00
It is the turn of the three remaining main course chefs in today’s celebrity cook-off. They must each come up with a pudding that perfectly complements their signature dish, and then prepare both dishes at once. Only two of them will make it through to cook another day.
This four-part series follows renowned chef Heston Blumenthal on a gastronomic adventure as he attempts to create the greatest feasts from history. In the Middle Ages, food was used as a source of entertainment and escape from the harsh realities of everyday life.
Wednesday 11th March
Gastronuts BBC 1 16:05 to 16:35
Why Don’t We Eat Custard on Pizza?.
Food fanatic Stefan Gates and his intrepid Gastronuts go on wild culinary adventures to discover the truth about how we eat, what we eat and where it comes from. Roast beef and gravy, fish and chips, and chocolate with almost anything. Some food combinations are classics. But what happens when tastes clash, and can we make and break the rules of food? In an effort to find out Stefan and the Gastronuts eat the world’s weirdest combinations, cook with a steam roller and make a strange sandwich.
Ready, Steady, Cook BBC 2 16:30 to 17:15
It is off to Ambridge today in the company of Louiza Patikas and Tom Graham, better known as Helen and Tom Archer from The Archers. Will Tom bring home the bacon or will he end up looking a bit of a sausage? Ainsley Harriott hosts another twenty minutes of classic cookery.
Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00
In today’s celebrity cook-off the three remaining pudding chefs must each come up with a main course that perfectly complements their signature dish. Then they must prepare both dishes at once. Only two celebs will make it through to cook again.
Chico and Kenzie swap reality TV for the real thing in the kitchen as North Londoner Kenzie parades his food credentials against Chico’s exotic mixture of North African cuisine. Ainsley Harriott hosts another classic twenty-minute cooking challenge.
Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00
We have reached the semi-finals and today the four surviving celebrity chefs must cook for a crowd of discerning diners in a swanky London restaurant. Only two celebs – one mains chef and one pudding chef – will go through to tomorrow’s Grand Final.
Comic actors Jan Ravens and Phil Cornwell battle it out to see who can make the best impression on the studio audience in the red and green kitchens. Ainsley Harriott introduces another twenty minutes of high-speed, top quality cookery.
Britain’s Best Dish: Celebrity Special ITV1 17:00 to 18:00
It is the Grand Final, and the two remaining celebrities go head to head. Former contestants will return to help the judges decide the series’ outcome. Which celeb will be crowned the winner?
James Martin presents another menu of mouth-watering recipes, great chefs and celebrity guests. James is joined by top chefs Nic Watt and Glyn Purnell, and former EastEnder Todd Carty faces his food heaven or hell. There are helpings of Celebrity MasterChef, Rick Stein and Keith Floyd, plus another dramatic omelette challenge and more top wine choices from Tim Atkin.
Recipes and cooking tips. Rachel shows how to make a wonderfully fragrant lime yoghurt cake with rosewater and pistachios, and meets French chef and master bread-maker Richard Bertinet, who believes that the best way to make the perfect bread does not involve kneading the dough; the technique might sound unusual, but the results are fantastic. And the cookery school students learn how to make a classic sticky toffee pudding. This guaranteed crowd-pleaser features a gorgeous sweet toffee sauce.
The Ciroa Umbra Collection is a beautifully designed tableware set, featuring a floral design. It is the latest set by award winning Australian designer Alex Liddy.
Ciroa Umbra Stoneware 16 Piece Dinner Set, Gift Boxed
This tasteful stoneware collection mixes colours to create a coordinated tableware collection, accented by feature floral designs. The 16 piece dinnerset is an ideal starting point for any home, whether you are making a new home or refreshing your dinnerware collection. The range is Microwave, dishwasher and oven safe. To create a full dining experience the Umbra also offers a Charger plate and salad bowl.
