THE FOOD
When it comes to 70s food, there is a fine line between garish and spectacular that is fun to tread. This decade wasn't known for its culinary sophistication but what its food lacked in taste, it more than made up for in presentation! Food art really came into its own in the 70s, there was a lot of playfulness and every dish was seen as an opportunity to create a spectacle. This season we’re taking our favourite modern festive recipes and presenting them in an artful 70s fashion. If you don’t follow @70sdinnerparty - then you’re in for a treat - and endless food art inspiration! A turkey in a dinner jacket maybe? Or a Broccoli Christmas Tree? There’s always the hot dog turkey, if you’re feeling particularly bold. There’s Boiled Egg Penguins, Sandwich Wreaths & the simple but beautiful Nut Star. In the 70s, everything was an Art Attack.
For nibbles and desserts, we’re not merely dipping a toe in the theme, we're diving right in. It's probably time to get good at making jelly. Rainbow jelly is taking centre stage (look out for moulds on Ebay, charity shops or antiques markets) in an array of shapes and sizes. For the ultimate jelly inspiration, follow @adventuresinjelly. The main event is a Tunis Cake (a Madeira cake topped with a thick layer of chocolate) topped with marzipan fruits. Other classic nibbles to add to your shopping list: marshmallows, sugared almonds, mint humbugs, candy striped sugar biscuits, Turkish Delight, and cheese, pineapple and pickle to make little nibble sticks or a classic 70s centrepiece (see here!).
THE TABLE
More is more on the table – think of it as setting the scene to show off all your food and drink creations. We’re layering two of our favourite tablecloths, a great idea if your table linen can’t accommodate your make-shift, larger festive table. We're going for a classic, checked green vintage tablecloth that we always reach for at Christmas, alongside our new candy-floss pink tablecloth by Issy Granger. Finish the tablescape with retro hued candles to set the mood (like clementine orange or parma violet), fun crackers (we love making our own via DIY sets – filled with more personal pressies) and oranges studded with cloves, decorative holly and Christmas tree offcuts. We're serving up our dishes on an array of platters: in a galaxy emerald green, paint splattered violet and chocolate brown chequerboard. The 70s was truly the era of the platter.
"In fact, adding a cherry on top of most things is a pretty 70s thing to do."