By Lyn Funnell 
Note the salad jars against the wall.
We threw a once-only Garden Party for all our friends.
I wanted to put on a really good Buffet for them to enjoy. Some of them had travelled a long way. And I also had to make sure that there was enough food and a good choice for everyone.
When we lived in Spain, friends of ours used to have a party outside every New Year’s Day.
The weather was always good and there was a long line of rickety tables loaded with food.
And the barbecue was grilling away all afternoon.
Everybody ate, drank and chatted away all afternoon. We had a great time.
Nobody said they didn’t eat this and they didn’t eat that. We all ate everything.
Not nowadays! I had to make sure I had a selection of food catering for all fads and fancies.
When I was working in catering, I was asked by a car dealer who was a self-made millionaire to lay on a buffet for his staff Christmas Party. Although he was well-off, he still spoke his mind.
I’ve never forgotten what he said. He told me, ‘I don’t want none of them Brahn Buffets, Lyn! I want some colour in it!’
Ever since that, I always make sure I have colour in my food.
Back to my Buffet; I only had one work surface in the kitchen, and the draining-board opposite, where I placed the sandwiches.
The secret of a Buffet with limited space is to stack as much as possible upwards, to take up less room.
I had a good idea; I created a Salad in a Jar!
There are always lots of jars in our garage cupboard in case I make chutneys or jams.
I chose the jars that were a similar size and I filled them with a layer of salad ingredients – in different colours, of course!
Here’s my order; lettuce, beetroot, celery, roasted peppers, cucumber and tomatoes.
I tipped in a simple salad dressing, all vegan ingredients, of olive oil, white vinegar, vegan mayo, a squirt of ketchup, rice or pomegranate syrup and seasoning.
You shake the jar before eating the salad. And the jars don’t take up much room!
I bought paper plates. And I had a bowl of garlic bread, a bowl of chicken wings, baby tomatoes, home-made Scotch eggs, vegan sausages (they taste good) coleslaw, potato salad.
There was a selection of sandwiches on the draining-board.
Despite my concern, there was more than plenty for everyone. And piling as much as possible into bowls saved space!
Later on, I made some room for various sweets.
Before everyone arrived I had placed bowls of nibbles on some of the tables, which everyone enjoyed while they chatted.
Some of our friends
I have had lots of feedback form people saying how much they enjoyed my party!
The good sign was that nobody left early.
But that’s it. I’ll never do it again! Great fun & lovely to see old friends, but exhausting!
