A SUNDAY LUNCH DATE

Anyone who really knows me, will agree that I love to entertain. A lot. Nothing more makes me more excited than preparing a lunch or dinner party, gathering my loved ones and feeding them (yes, I´m a massive feeder too). I am no perfect host by any means, there are times when I totally flap and get stressed, wanting everything to be perfect (did I mention that I am perfectionist too?). But as soon as the party arrives, I crack open a bottle of wine, relax and enjoy the company and food… What life is all about, right? 

A few weeks ago, we invited a close couple friend of ours to our new pad. The house is pretty much all done by now (the official home tour is coming very soon, I promise!), except for wall art and photos, which we’re still taking our time deciding on. Since completing it, we’be already had several dinners and lunches at ours. It really is the perfect space to host as it’s all open plan, making it so much more social and fun with the guests gathered around whilst we’re getting everything ready.

Now, to the presentation. Which let’s face it, is pretty crucial to any successful dinner party (I told you I was a perfectionist). Investing in beautiful crockery has been one of my many priorities with our new house. Wedgwood, one of the iconic British tablewear brands, has recently launched their stunning Arris collection – which with the soft metallic accents, has slotted perfectly into the style of our kitchen, and has proven to be the perfect investment so far.

I love the luxe and modern details of this particular range, with the geometric patterns and the modern mix of silver, gold and rose gold. Yet, the collection still remains a classic tableware set, and a great addition to any contemporary home. I particularly love the glassware, with the dreamy metallic rose colour.

Flowers are always a must; and although lilies and roses are my personal favourites, they’re not to everyones tastebuds, so I tend to go for more neutral flowers such as carnations or tulips.

 A bowl of mixed nuts to snack on are always a must.

If I’m not running late (which I often am), I like to set the table hours in advance, giving me one less thing to stress about amidst the cooking! As we were hosting a Sunday lunch, I got up nice and early, and prepared it first thing. And I was pretty happy with the result (if I may say so myself!). I loved the overall tonal and neutral colour palette – with that added pop of metallic, to make it feel that bit more exciting. I’m also a big fan of mixing textures and styles; with the minimal and clean Scandinavian details of the natural wood and sheepskin, contrasted with the more glamorous elements of modern gold.

A few hours before the guests arrive, the preparation of the food is well underway. I like to do as much as much possible in advance so it’s just the finishing touches left – rinsing, chopping, marinating, blending…

Now that the table and the majority of the food prep is done – I can get to the fun part! Getting ready. Upon reflection, I guess my personal style very much translates from how I styled the dinner table; minimal and clean, with those added luxe elements. As it was a lunch, I kept the overall look pretty casual and neutral, with the accompaniment of dainty and sparkly jewellery from Astley Clarke and their beautiful Honeycomb collection.

The Wedgwood Arris collection carries up to our bedroom, with this pretty mirror, dish and silver bowls – perfect to keep all my jewellery neat and tidy on display. I’be continued with the tonal colour palette up in the bedroom and the mixes of various metals; which is easier to get away with when the overall look is soft and neutral.

Now to the jewellery. I’m sure you probably know by now that I’m all about the details with my outfit. As much as I love a good statement bag or shoes; when it comes to my jewellery, I like to keep it dainty and pretty, yet never not seen.

I love the geometric shapes of the Honeycomb collection – it’s delicate, yet edgy. Stacked or layered, or worn on it’s own, it’s such a versatile range (not to mention it slots perfectly in with the Wedgwood accessories).

Mixing metals works well here too, as long the pieces are small and dainty. I love to stack my rings, and these ones are the perfect styles to play around with. And as they’re so slight – the more the better. 

As you might have spotted previously, I always wear a stack of the Astley Clarke’s Biography and Kula bracelets. I’ve added small pops of purple and pink to the mix on this layer; the rule is – keep it tonal, and you can play around as much as you like!

Don’t even get me started on these earrings. With six holes in my ears, I always tend to fill both earlobes with lots of dainty hoops and studs; and this geometric style is perfect for both every day and more dressed up occasions. Stunning.

The carnations followed up to the bedroom as well, and I just couldn’t resist this small pink bunch for my dresser.

The necklaces help pull the whole look together. Again, both of these would look equally as pretty on their own (but even more special when layered together)…

As most of the food preparation is already done, I can start finishing it all off… So, what’s on the menu?

---

MAIN COURSE 

Oven baked sea trout, with lemon, dill & pepper – served with a fresh fennel, orange, courgette and radish salad, a creamy beetroot hummus with toasted pumpkin seeds, a bowl of fresh samphire, and oven roasted cauliflower. 

---

It may sound a bit complicated, but it really is the simplest thing to throw together, especially if you start all the chopping and blending in advance! The crunchy fennel and fresh orange flavours work really well with the oily trout, the sweet beetroot hummus adds that bit of creaminess to the dish, and the roasted cauliflower gives it that delicious salty taste.

The beetroot dip is super simple; just make your regular hummus and add pre-roasted beetroot to mix, topped off with toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s delicious.

Sparkling water is always a must, and I like mine infused with lots of mint, cucumber and lemon… So good.

Lunch is served!

The food goes down well, with four empty plates and a bit left over for a late night snack.

Cheers!

What’s a dinner party, without some tea and cake to finish it all off? Although all my friends and family know that it’s never just a normal dessert and regular brew when they come to our house…

---

DESSERT

A gluten-free polenta, lemon & honey cake, with a side of fresh mint tea. 

---

But no cake is complete without a proper presentation, right? Out comes our stunning black and gold Wedgwood set, dished out with a dollop of coconut ice cream. 

The final course is done and dusted, and I send my guests home fed and watered after a great Sunday catch up and long lunch. Mission completed.

---

Created in collaboration with Astley Clarke & Wedgwood. All words, opinions, styling & creative direction are, of course, my own.

SPECIAL OFFER: 

Get 10% off Wedgwood´s Arris collection with code ARRIS10 (valid for until 31st May).
Get 10% off Astley Clarke´s Honeycomb collection with the code ANNELI10 (valid until 31st May).