Celebratory

Sophie is in a celebratory mood - she is putting on a dinner party; not a stuffy, sit down affair but a deconstructed, fun event. She shares her tips for stress-free entertaining by taking us through the two days leading up to the shindig. Her plan is to create a generous banquet from tried and trusted crowd pleasers, and she'll cook as much as she can in advance and lay it all out in a display of overt opulence.

The hot pink borscht is served in a glass punch bowl and the fresh oysters are laid out with shallot and vinegar and a bloody mary dressing. The centrepiece of her laden table is a trussed-up sea trout with goat's cheese, almond and herb stuffing served alongside a wild rice risotto terrine. And finally, her two flourless chocolate cakes, one topped with a mountain of red berries and one with black, complete the image of a Valhalla feast alongside the flower displays and a carefully chosen outfit.