The hero of this table was the jasmine plant we will plant out in our garden in spring. I tied velvet bows around its bamboo poles and the tall taper candles by its side. It's January so I wanted a simple, tonal look with my block printed linens, bows on menus and a few ranunculus in full bloom.

I first made these at Christmas and fell in love. Pomegranates are still in season so use their jewel-like colour to add flair to your fizz.

• Pop a sprig of rosemary, orange slice and teaspoon of pomegranate seeds in large ice cube tray.
• Top with pomegranate juice (I used this).
• Freeze for at least 8 hours.
• Pour over your sparkling wine of choice.

A recipe isn't required for a cheese board, more a few pointers and principles. I'm still perfecting my style on these (a project for 2025!) but I always prefer just one type of cheese. It showcases the cheese's flavour, simplifies pairing and avoids overwhelming your guests!

• Two large wedges of Parmigiano Reggiano - one 20 months matured and one 36 months
• Seasonal fruits (both dry and fresh)
• Walnuts
• Crackers
• Honey (pairs very well with Parmigiano Reggiano)

I've been making this recipe in various guises since I first discovered it in Dani Tucker's brilliant book The Social Kitchen in 2016. I serve it with wholewheat noodles, stir-fried seasonal veg and sneak some Sriracha sauce onto the table (trust me!)

I think I must have made these brownies over 300 times since I was a teenager. I always have a batch in the freezer (they freeze SO well!)

They are based on Jo Pratt's recipe with some key switches based on decades of experimentation:

• Cut up medjool dates and stir in.
• Use any variety of chocolate as your other ingredient - Mars and Milky Way work very well!
• Sprinkle over Maldon salt to counter the sweetness before they go in the oven.
• If you have time, allow them to cool for 20 minutes out of the oven then pop in the freezer for 30 minutes (don't laugh - it makes them fudgy!)

There's such an art to ensuring brownies are gooey not cakey. For me, it's when a skewer is inserted 2 inches away from the edge of the tin and comes out clean. The centre should still have stickiness as they will cook more when they cool.

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