We are thrilled to be offering you the chance to win one of five copies of The New Art of Cooking, the gorgeous debut cookbook from food stylist Frankie Unsworth.
To celebrate the publication of Frankie’s book we’ve teamed up with Bloomsbury Publishing for this exciting giveaway competition.
The New Art of Cooking showcases the many styling tips and tricks to make food that looks as good as it tastes with trade secrets from top professional food stylist Frankie Unsworth. It’s true that ‘we eat with our eyes’, and this beautiful, clever book provides a fantastic toolkit straight from the world of professional food styling. It promises to change the way you cook for ever.
Packed with easy tips including how to:
- Bruise, cut, chiffonade or blitz herbs to best effect
- Burn or grill citrus fruit to caramelise and concentrate flavour – adding an interesting twist to fish and seafood
- Slice veg for a super-clean finish or rip and tear for a rustic feel
- Add edible flowers for a final flourish
Recipes cover breakfasts (including the delicious-sounding ‘chocolate granola shards’), snacks, seasonal salads, soups and bowl foods such as ‘herby spelt and yoghurt flatbreads’, ‘asparagus mimosa’ and ‘courgette, pancetta and lemon spaghetti’. From small plates to big dishes and celebration feasts for friends and family with ‘Eton mess ice cream sandwiches’ and the ‘Ultimate chocolate cake’, not only will your cooking taste wonderful, it will look better than ever too.
Frankie Unsworth is a food stylist and writer who trained in pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She works extensively on photography shoots in London and across the world, and has worked with Rachel Khoo, Nadiya Hussain and Michel Roux amongst others. You can read more about what inspires her, the things she can’t do without and how exactly she happened to be held at gunpoint in this interview.
All you have to do is answer the following question, and you’ll be entered into the draw to win. Leave your answer in the comments below or via the LinenMe Facebook page.
What is your secret weapon to style a dinner party?
Competition closes 23rd July 2018. Good luck!
Images from The New Art of Cooking by Frankie Unsworth (Bloomsbury £26), available now. Photography © Kristin Perers
Sue lane 2018-07-18
A themed evening with soft music background, completed with dining table layout.. and of course wine, laughter and great food to be enjoyed by all
Ryan 2018-07-18
Fresh ingredients, simple recipes, let the food do the talking
Elizabeth Cooke 2018-07-18
A scented candle! Creates a welcoming environment 🙂
Hayley Robson 2018-07-17
Fresh local produce and flowers
Margaret GALLAGHER 2018-07-16
Seating plan and name place settings
I know what each person likes / dislikes – so much easier when we’re serving up
Everybody gets what they like
Pam hutchinson kelly 2018-07-16
Nice colourful plate settings and good wine and a good centre piece and candles
Kim Styles 2018-07-15
lower than head height flower arrangements and candles- you don’t want your guests to have to do a meerkat impression every time someone addresses them
Sarah 2018-07-13
Botanicals! Snippets of greenery from the garden. Simply arranged on the table, as place settings, around candles, simple styled wreaths and posies as decoration AND edibles… herbs in water jugs, and as garnish… edible flowers on puddings… importantly, all gathered from the garden or foraged from the woods. Seasonal & simplistic elegance
Jen Oconnell 2018-07-13
38 earl’s court road
Birmingham
B179ah
M. 2018-07-13
Minimalistic tableware and tablecloths to highlight the beauty of food served.
Susie Groom 2018-07-13
Inviting people who enjoy good food & wine & interesting conversation.
Bridie irwin 2018-07-13
Big white plates to show the food at it’s best
Anne Hughes 2018-07-12
Fresh flowers and candles to set the mood!
Katherine Lawson 2018-07-12
I love playing with light, whether it’s using the daylight for as long as possible or gradually shifting to night time with candles and dim lighting. It really affects the mood 🙂
Sharon Arnott 2018-07-12
Plain but good quality crockery so that the eye isn’t drawn away from the food by pattered plates etc
Victor 2018-07-11
An ALGARVE sunset, VISTA ALEGRE china, a MADEIRA linen hand-embroided tablecloth, – a “must have” – PORTUGUESE wine and last but not least a “hint” of love in each prepared dish.
Susan Tuck 2018-07-11
Unadulterated simplicity to enjoy the best that nature provides from the freshest ingredients as the basis of the menu
Steph 2018-07-11
My secret weapon is adorable dishes
Paula 2018-07-11
Decorate the table with what nature at that time has to offer. The beauty and scent of nature is unbeatable.
Michele platman 2018-07-11
Pre preparation of all the ingredients for your dishes, chopping, weighing etc and pre cooking any dishes you can, for the freezer. But don’t forget to take them out of the freezer the night before! And make lists!
Donna Hanna 2018-07-11
Simple white plates to show off the food. Good good, good company , good times
Rebecca Brown 2018-07-10
A really simple set-up with crisp white tablecloths and a candle centerpiece – let the food speak for itself
Ann Mclear 2018-07-16
The atmosphere lighting , wine good friendly be happy chatting and knowing what your guests like
Julie 2018-07-10
My hubby makes amazing napkin decorations
sophie denize 2018-07-10
recettes maisons de saison accompagnée d’ un zeste de bonne humeur, entourée de ses amis autour d’une jolie table.
Natalie Turner 2018-07-10
Prepare everything within plenty of time 🙂
Sandra 2018-07-09
simple but stylish table settings, good food -prepared as much as possible beforehand, so that I can spend time with guests.
Pam Lawrence 2018-07-09
I like to use proper linen for the tablecloth and napkins, in pale, neutral colours and hand blown italian crystal glasses. I like things quite plain and unfussy.
STELLA NOBLE 2018-07-09
Fresh garden flowers, hand written place cards,good food ,good wine and good company!
Laura Pritchard 2018-07-09
Fun, bright glasses!
Mrs Karen scoles 2018-07-09
Nice glass Nice candles good wine a linen table cloth and matching napkins and a Nice there course meal
Anne-Marie cunnew 2018-07-09
white china and large white cloth napkins
Lindsey C 2018-07-09
Simple natural decor and table settings (slate and stone) to keep the food as the star
Kim Murray 2018-07-09
Candles and homemade flower arrangements x
Dawn Rowley-White 2018-07-09
Scented candles, well-ironed linen tablecloth, flowers from the garden.
Jamie 2018-07-09
Fun linens, interesting table décor, and a couple bottles of wine!
Richard Eldred Hawes 2018-07-09
Crisp white linen, crystal glasses and silver cutlery
Timothy Dempsey 2018-07-09
The unexpected….guests & food.
Elizabeth Hirst 2018-07-09
Good food, flowers and fresh linen with a group of friends able to freely chat.
tschief 2018-07-09
Beautiful antique dishes and linen napkins
j.s. 2018-07-09
nice people around
maria blythin 2018-07-09
clean tablecloth and nice fresh flowers x
Annabel Greaves 2018-07-09
I love to add personalised nameplates and small handmade table decorations to make the dinner party style unique
JUSTINE EDWARDS 2018-07-09
Simple starter & dessert thats pre prepared so you only are in the kitchen doing the main course.
Adrian Clarke 2018-07-09
A good punch bowl to get everyone in the mood!
Jane Willis 2018-07-09
don’t get stressed trying to create new dishes, stick to something tried and tested that you can make without stress, leaving you relaxed and able to enjoy the company of your guests
Elizabeth 2018-07-09
Good food
(some vegetarian)
Good conversation/company
Beautiful linen
Flowers
Emma C 2018-07-09
Good presentation and good wine
Ruth Harwood 2018-07-09
Make sure the seating arrangement means everyone is sitting next to someone they can have a laugh with!
Lynne 2018-07-09
All good friends, good food, good wine,good chats and laughter
Ingah 2018-07-09
Knowing my friends and guests, I just go with my gut, what mood prevails right now, which colors feel right and than just adding a small piece in complementary colors.
josie Bicknell 2018-07-09
keep it simple
SusanT 2018-07-09
Get someone else to organise it
Sue 2018-07-08
A big smile! Make the setting seasonally simple and stylish – plan an easy menu, pre prep food as much as poss – above all relax and enjoy!
DAWN WINSKILL 2018-07-08
Candlelight, good food and good conversation.
janey Forrest 2018-07-08
Simple seasonal flowers and clean linen!
Lorraine Crighton 2018-07-08
my top tip is variety – a good mix of people, as wide a selection of drinks as possible and if not having a sideboard buffet try to ensure everyone is catered for with the fewest number of dishes, e.g. some vegetarian entrees can double up as side dishes and some meat eaters do enjoy vegetarian meals and any cheese board should have one vegetarian cheese
Anke 2018-07-08
As many others we’ve got some flowers, herbs or other greens from our garden on the table. Other than that there‘s no decoration, but we try our best to always serve delicious and great looking food – not only for parties but for every-day-dinners as well. Our latest star – and secret weapon – at the table is our six months old son who loves to pick pieces of bread, avocado, carrot or whatever is appropriate for him to eat – always wearing a stone blue linen napkin around his neck. It‘s such a pleasure watching a babyboy learning to eat with his fingers, tasting whatever comes to his tiny mouth and enjoying dinner just like a grown-up.
Kim Coate 2018-07-08
Good mix of people, chilled wine and music and a simple centrepiece, leaving room for good simple food.
Catherine Bode Friederich 2018-07-08
Indeed!!!!
Sue Fitzsimons 2018-07-08
Good food and wine. I like to use fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Thoughtful grouping of guests.
Cindie 2018-07-08
Plants and greenery with low candles for a centerpiece, and presenting the food buffet-style on a sideboard using cake stands of different sizes and heights for interest, and more flora around the bottoms.
Fiona Clarke 2018-07-08
Fresh wildflowers flowers in small vintage jars, sparkling glasses, freshly laundered linen, but not ironed for a rustic look, and lots of small candles dotted around the table, and a group of good friends, of course!
Pera 2018-07-08
Yummy vegan food, made from scratch!
I come from a culinary region where “Vienna meets Venice”, as suggested by my dear friend… Makes my food presentation simple, yet strong in color palettes and an array of textures.
Cya 2018-07-08
Fresh greenery – especially trailing plants – complimented by freshly laundered linen.
Sarah Aitken 2018-07-08
Simply delicious food made with passion and great company…
Jill Reed 2018-07-08
A warm welcome, a ready glass, white linen, low flowers and candles – and I’m ready to enjoy myself.
Lauren Jamieson 2018-07-08
Party games- they always result in a good night of laughter!
Sally Collingwood 2018-07-08
Good conversation, keep the chat flowing, everything else will fall into place.
Susie Wilkinson 2018-07-08
I go for shabby chic, nothing matches, so it doesn’t matter how many people I invite, because I don’t need matching cutlery, placemats, napkins, glasses, etc. etc. It also becomes a talking point with people showing each other what they’ve got!
Philip Stride 2018-07-08
Beautiful table linen, light reflective glassware, highly polished cutlery with a simple menu carefully chosen and, most importantly, good friends to share it with.
iain maciver 2018-07-08
a fun table centrepiece
Robin 2018-07-08
Simple food, cold drinks and flowers.
Georgina Jacobs 2018-07-08
Embracing the seasons for table decor, it sets off table top perfectly for me. Beautifully laundered linen cloth & napkins and I’m a stickler for candles for the ambience they create.
doctorj 2018-07-08
glass sheets and square containers, water, candles, and flowers
Carolyn E 2018-07-08
Depending on the weather, an outdoor candle lit table, surrounded by twinkling lights. Linen table cloth and vintage crockery. Nearby a citronella burner to scare off the bugs.
Karen Scammell 2018-07-08
lovely fresh flowers
Nikki Hilton 2018-07-08
Fresh cut beautiful flowers, blue Debby dishes, sparking cutlery, fresh washed linen napkins, and gorgeous glorious organic food ! All prepared with love ♥️
Annie Valliere 2018-07-08
Wonderful light colored linen table cloth and napkins. Plates of cheeses, veggie’s and fruits. Baskets with linen napkin lining the inside, filled with crackers, chips and French bread. A lovely meal made by my husband.
Denise Davies 2018-07-08
I try to pick up unusual textiles when on holiday
Andrea Smith 2018-07-08
My secret weapon is a clean tablecloth!
Annie 2018-07-08
I love linen napkins as a casual elegance, candles and floral arrangements that don’t block the people I want to talk with across the table.
Paola 2018-07-08
Grey linen tablecloth and colors for glasses and napkins, according to season!
Katie 2018-07-08
Simple seasonal flowers, or beautiful foliage in winter
Jane Pearson 2018-07-08
Minimalistic table settings
Naomi 2018-07-08
My top tip is to go simple and abundant….so lots of daffodils at Easter for example. Or a big pile of pomegranates for a winter meal. A polished apple or gilded pear at each place in autumn. An eggcup of sweetpeas for each person.
You can translate it into the food, too. One amazing wheel of brie rather than lots of little pieces of cheese.
charity 2018-07-08
Fresh flowers and beautiful linen.
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