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Summer alfresco entertaining

One thing us Brits are really good at is making the most of the sun at the drop of the hat - especially when you never know how long a sunny episode will last before ducking for cover in a quick shower, or reaching for the jumper when the temperature drops. So, in celebration of that elusive English sun, here's a quick guide to alfresco entertaining to make the most of the moment

Preparation

The last thing you want to be doing on the day itself is running around attending to various domestic chores while you could be soaking up the sun with a Pimm's or a nice chilled glass of Pinot Grigio, so here's what to do in advance:

Decoration

Keep the table setting simple and natural with neutral crockery. For more dressed-up occasions you can smarten up the setting with napkins, decorative drinking glasses and a table cloth - crisp neutral linens add a touch of effortless sophistication.

You can really go to town in your garden with making the most of its natural assets and highlighting your favourite areas with pretty fairy lights and candles once the sun goes down. Create an air of magic by hanging small lanterns in trees and shrubbery (Habitat do a nice selection), or simply drop a tea light in a jam jar and scatter them about the space.

Set up a serving station for food and drinks. Different varieties, colours and textures of food and drink together can be pleasing on the eye, so why not make it a focal point with scattered brightly coloured napkins, some tasteful bunting, and a sheer fabric framed with fairy lights hung on the wall behind? If you're not confident about the weather, keep in inside, you can always move outside if things brighten up.

Ambience

If you've got an MP3 player and a dock - create a special summer party playlist long enough to go on to the night and you won't have to worry about fiddling around with CDs on the day. Otherwise stick to the sounds of nature, you don't want to be annoying the neighbours anyway!

Food & Drink

Barbeques are an easy and versatile way of cooking up delicious summer food, but no one enjoys playing burger supervisor for too long before it gets hot and boring. Rather than ditching the barbeque altogether, make sure you provide a good selection of alternatives that you have prepared in advance (it also makes the party easy to transfer indoors in case of a weather turn)

Scrumptious salads

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad
Tiger prawn salad with lime and coriander
New Potato and Baby Spinach Salad

Cold dish centre pieces

Potted Salmon
Cold, Sliced Chicken Breast Stuffed with Asparagus, Basil and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Spruced-up fruits

Quick and Easy Strawberry and Yoghurt Cups
Fruit Jellies for grown-ups
Apples with Blackberries and Cassis

Drinks

Red Wine Cup
Champagne Float
Classic Mojito

For the non-drinkers - whiz up a berry mix (you can buy frozen from supermarkets) with crushed ice and top with soda, and make sure you have a couple of juices on offer too.

Wines

Keep whites and reds light and versatile. For reds opt for quaffable Pinot Noirs and try to avoid the heavier, more full-bodied grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. For whites, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio are all nice light crisp summer grape varieties.

If you're getting a few bottles in and wanting to keep the price down, go for the new world wines as you tend get better quality for your money. Majestic wines offer a free delivery service, and they can also loan glasses.

Essential tips for the day

• Fill up buckets with ice for an instant outdoor fridge
• Make sure there are always jugs of water and ice on offer
• If you are able to - determine where to position your BBQ according to the wind that day, making sure the smoke blows away from the party and not into it.
• Make sure you have an indoor room ready for guests, just in case!

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