Nina Olsson - Feasts of Veg: Plant-Based Food for Gatherings

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This book is filled with vegetarian recipes for dinners, gatherings and parties. Its the kind of food I like to eat myself and to serve to friends and family. Theres no more beautiful meal to share than a feast with vibrant vegetables, whether its a golden roasted root gratin with mushrooms or a sparkling rainbow-coloured salad. This book is about sharing good food, one of the most enjoyable things to do in life.

A great feast raises our spirits and you can actually say its a form of wellness activity, so theres no need to feel indulgent for throwing the occasional party youre sharing the goodness.

When I was too young to join in with my parents dinner parties, my siblings and I would fall asleep to the muddled sound of laughter and music. I remember feeling excited, thinking this must be the best part of being a grown up, celebrating together, filling the house with food and friends. And when I pictured my older self, I saw myself cooking and hosting my own dinner parties. I still feel that excitement, especially when the cooking is done for the night and I can sit down with my guests at the table, enjoy a drink and let the magic of the evening unfold.

My mother, who was a housewife in the seventies, preferred to put textiles and paint canvases before household duties, but she would go all out to make our celebrations memorable. One of the most cherished memories I have is from my seventh birthday, sitting at the head of a long table set on the grass with my friends, surrounded by lilac bushes in the high summer afternoon, with a layered strawberry cake, flowers and lemonade. The love and effort my mum put into arranging this simple but unforgettable day, is my measuring stick for hosting today. My birthday happens to coincide with midsummer, which maybe adds to why I think its the best holiday of the year. The feasts of our lives become memories in a timeline that we can see our own life stories through. At the heart of every feast theres a place, people and good food.

Vegetables are the stars in this book and now is a really exciting time to be a vegetarian. The art of cooking vegetables is undergoing a renaissance, and theres virtually an army of creative chefs, authors and bloggers all making a new style of vegetarianism happen. In my opinion, talking about vegetables and vegetarian food as a meat substitute feels outdated today. Its not about if we should eat plant-based today, its more a question of how. And my own answer to that is to focus on flavour and take inspiration from world kitchens, to think outside the box and use techniques that can utilise the various textures and flavours of vegetables. The creative possibilities are vast. I can think of no better way to celebrate the future of food than by serving vegetables.

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A good party can be a grand spectacle or as simple as a picnic in the park. In the end its the spirit that we bring into it that matters. People, not furniture, make the party. A beautifully styled table with fine tableware and professional flower arrangements can be the stuff of lifelong memories, but it doesnt mean its more enjoyable than a pot-luck gathering on the beach, grilling veggie burgers with the sun setting.

If you are hosting in your home, simply adding candlelight and flowers to the equation can set the right mood. Mixing new with old and borrowed tableware is always charming.

Taking the party outdoors, eating al fresco, out in nature is fantastic: take chairs, tables and why not rugs, pouffes and sofas to create a fabulous outdoor scene. Build a fire (in a safe manner1) and hang lamps or light lanterns between trees.

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Gatherings are becoming increasingly casual in general its more about making sure theres a relaxed welcoming atmosphere for the guests to enjoy, thus, so dont stress. Forget about perfection or following strict etiquette!

So now you have set a date and invited a number of people, here are some pointers on how to throw a great dinner:

Being a relaxed host is essential! Get organised, make a plan and prepare as much as you can in advance.

Check in advance if any guests have allergies or special diets and make adjustments accordingly.

Create atmosphere, light candles, make a music play list, buy flowers and rearrange furniture and declutter the space if it needs it.

Balance your menu, dont feed your guests too much bread, nibbles or heavy starters if your main dish is the star dish on the menu. If everyone is getting full before you serve it, they wont appreciate your effort. Hunger is the best spice!

Make sure theres ice in the freezer for drinks. And make sure theres enough glasses.

Have a wabi-sabi approach, if something goes wrong, be light about it and move on.

Dont be overambitious. Dont choose to cook several complicated dishes for one dinner, if youre cooking alone. Choose one more demanding dish to impress with and keep the rest simple. Or get someone to help.

Its always a good idea to involve others to help usually your partner or good friends. Delegate responsibility for dishes to others, or let them manage the music and bar, or have them making sure the dishwasher is emptied and filled between servings.

Also, make sure guests are not excluded from conversation; if someone is being ignored try to draw them into the dynamic.

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Prepare what you can in advance so that you only need to finish the final steps of cooking a dish when guests have arrived. And remember that not every dish has to be homemade; its perfectly fine to serve a quality chocolate, storebought ice cream or fruit after a main dish.

Make a plan and shop in advance.

Can be prepared a week ahead:

Jams, confit, chutney and ice cream.

Can be prepared a few days ahead:

Go through plates, tablecloths, glasses and napkins and wash or replace as needed.

Can be prepared a day ahead:

Stews, curries and soups. Store in the fridge and warm up just before serving. Leaving a stew to sit makes the flavours intensify and taste even better.

Cold sauces, marinades, dressings, nut and seaweed sprinkles can also be prepared a day ahead.

Cakes, bread, pizza dough and cookies can be prepared hours or a day ahead. For layer cakes, assemble and spread on the filling and icing just before serving.