Nigella Lawson's Top 5 Entertaining Tips

Hi, I'm Nigela Lawson.

I've found a way of making

holiday entertaining really simple.

(upbeat music)

Don't lay the table formally, leave everything about

for people to help themselves.

I leave you know my cutlery in canisters

and I dot them about the table.

I also don't go in for like big hotel like flower displays.

Apart from anything else, it's just like ruinness.

Do you call them napkins in this country?

Okay and for napkins again I just put piles

all over the place.

Don't cook starters.

Just provide picky bits for people to eat over drinks.

Having something to eat first of all

and then having to clear the table

and then bring out something entirely

different is un relaxing.

It's like you have to jump up the minute you've sat down

and in a way it's much nicer to have picky bits

maybe on a table near a sofa along with drinks.

Just throw together a drink that can be served

from a pitcher or a jug because what you don't want to do,

nice though it is, is necessarily shaking a cocktail

for one person and then having to pour that out

and then start again.

Rely on delicious dishes that you can just make ahead.

If I get for example, the mashed potatoes done ahead

then that's so easy because even though potatoes

aren't difficult to cook, when you've got a lot of people

coming, there is something about peeling a lot of potatoes

and then lugging a great pan of boiling water

to the sink to strain them,

so I just think get that done ahead

and then all you need to do is pop

your mashed potatoes in the oven.

So and this is the most important tip,

just concentrate on providing a welcoming atmosphere.

You're not striving for perfection,

you're not a restaurant,

you're not having an ambassadorial reception,

these are your friends.

(upbeat music)