DINNER parties have come a long way since Come Dine With Me unleashed a deluge of rectangular plates, fussy jus and peculiar wooden contraptions for presenting food and creating a 'spectacle' in the dining room.
Nowadays, being easy-going is the order of the day, something Alice Levine and Laura Jackson know a few things about.
The TV presenters have been running a supper club for the past four years and have just published their first book, Round To Ours, a recipe collection and dinner party guide that's all mismatching-crockery and Insta-worthy platters.
Of course, the results are more photogenic than many of us can muster at home, but the principle of laid-back dining, particularly in summer, remains.
But what should you do and not do?
:: Stay away from the new and complicated recipes
"Cook something you've cooked before and that you feel comfortable with, even if it's as simple as a lasagne and green salad," says Levine.
"Your first dinner party isn't the time to show everybody Heston Blumenthal-esque skills; it's about cooking something you're comfortable with, so that you can spend time with your guests, rather than in the kitchen."
:: Think about why you're hosting a dinner party
"If you're really into the food side of things, pick a day when you can spend all day cooking," adds Levine. "But if it's not as much about that, then pick something really simple and give yourself an hour to get it all together.
"You can always ask for help as well. The reason why Laura and I do it together is because two heads are better than one, and there's a joy to being in the kitchen together."
:: Use your senses when cooking
"We cook from instinct, we're not trained chefs ," continues Levine. "We rely on what we've done before and go, 'I know I want this much of this, so I probably want a bit more of this flavour', and trying as we go along."
:: Think about the seasons when buying your ingredients
"One of our starting points when we're starting to cook is what is in right now and what is at its best," explains Levine.
"Another tip is not having everything hot. If you're having a hot main course, have a lovely salad or something cold to start with, and something that's pre-prepared for dessert, like a tart or ice cream that you can plate up."
:: Save money by going vegetarian
"If you've not got much money, then vegetarian is a cheaper way of catering for lots of people, rather forking out on expensive meat," says Levine.
"As soon as you stop the alcohol, people normally know that it's their time to leave," says Jackson. "Turn the music down and turn the lights up a little bit. "
:: Round To Ours by Jackson & Levine is published in hardback by Quadrille, priced £20
