The formal dinner party may be dead but three cheers for the sharing platter

LifestyleDavid Taylor

It’s official ‑ the formal dinner party is dead. Inviting friends and work colleagues around for a three-course, midweek sit-down meal has finally been consigned to the history vaults, alongside Green Shield stamps, powdered mash and Margot from the Good Life’s wardrobe.

Celebrated through a rash of British sitcoms from the Seventies onwards, the dinner party was the highlight of the social calendar for the aspirational classes. The chance to impress the boss with your creamy vol au vents, peppered steak and lemon meringue pie kept British business and the comedy industry afloat. Today the only place the formal dinner party exists is on Come Dine with Me, whose contestants coincidentally seem to be stuck in some sort of Eighties timewarp anyway.

But don’t despair. Our appetite for all things foodie is bigger than ever with cookery shows enjoying the lion’s share of TV airtime. From The Great British Bake Off to Masterchef, via Saturday Kitchen, our longstanding love affair shows no sign of waning. However, just as our store cupboard essentials have seen us swap condensed milk for quinoa, so the midweek dinner party has been transformed. Of course we still invite friends and family round in the week for a bite to eat and a chance to catch up on gossip and dissect the intricacies of our favourite soaps. But when we’ve successfully run the gauntlet of the evening commute, the idea of donning an apron and oven gloves, and labouring over the stove is the last thing on our minds. Save that for the Sunday roast. We want to relax and catch up over some quality food ‑ but we want it to be ready before midnight, and prepared with as little effort as possible.

Roll on the sharing platter, the go-to choice for those in the know. A simple spread of cheese, meats, olives and salad is perfect whatever time of year. It can be as easy or as complicated as you like, and – dare I say – a lot healthier than a carb-heavy blow out. And it’s trendy too. Those with an eye on all things hip will no doubt have embraced Scandi style – from utilitarian design to cult crime drama and now food, Scandi gastronomy is leading the way. So long live the smorgasboard and smorging. Besides, whoever invited the boss round for coq au vin on a rainy Wednesday night anyway?

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The formal dinner party may be dead but three cheers for the sharing platterImagePublishedMedium width4Wednesday, December 2, 2015 - 12:48On