Be My Guest - an inspirational guide to entertaining

Be My Guest, the latest offering from hostess par excellence and well-known cookbook author Fay Lewis, is the definitive guide to entertaining for both novice and experienced hostesses and we have three copies to give away.....

Your do-it-yourself guide to entertaining

All the inspiration you need to plan a party – from exciting menus to impress your friends and family, decor ideas, as well as beautiful table setting ideas, advice on which wine to serve with your food, and even the right glasses and dinnerware to use –  it’s all in Be My Guest.

Each chapter deals with a different type of event – from brunches to pool parties, tea parties to formal dinners – it’s all covered in these pages.

We asked Fay about her love of food and passion for sharing her recipes and entertaining tips:

Be My Guest is a truly magnificent book – from the mouth-watering food photos to the gorgeous table settings and the glimpses of South African kitchens, gardens and patios. You have an obvious passion for good food and beautiful presentation. Who inspired this love of entertaining?

I grew up in the Free State countryside where life was very relaxed and people had lots of free time to spend with family and friends, my home life was rich in good food and good company. Watching my mother definitely inspired me to want to bring the same warmth into my home.  I am also fortunate in that I travel extensively, both locally and internationally, and have drawn much of my inspiration from the countries I have visited.

This is no ordinary cookbook with recipes grouped into starters, mains and desserts. There are themes and menu suggestions for every type of occasion, as well as suggestions for how to serve the food – from table setting ideas to the best wine to pair with each course or meal. It must be great fun planning menus like these. Who gets to test your efforts?

My husband, Leon, my three daughters, Tamara, Marissa and Carmen and my son-in-law, Clifford invariably get the first attempt at a recipe.  When entertaining, I frequently “test” the recipes on my guests and since they are from such diverse backgrounds, I am able to gauge the popularity of the prepared dish.

Be My Guest has been published just in time for summer and is full of great ideas for entertaining indoors or outside in the SA climate, both formally and informally.  I also love that you use exciting ingredients – and ones that are easily obtainable locally. Are the recipes “achievable” by even the most inexperienced hostess?

Yes, all my recipes are definitely achievable by even the most inexperienced hostess.  My recipes are all short, with locally sourced ingredients, and I believe that if a recipe cannot fit onto one page it is not worth making.

Sharing some of your personal recipes is a great gift to hosts and hostesses across the country and those who buy your book will be looking for any excuse to entertain so they can get started on the recipes contained on these pages.  Any particular suggestions for which party or event to try first if you’re new at entertaining?

I would suggest the grilling party because it is a more informal style of entertaining and you get to share the load with your partner.

It would be great to get to see you in action on a regular basis. Any ideas for a TV show?

Nothing in the pipeline yet for my own TV show, but I do regularly appear on several South African TV channels.

Be My Guest is available online at kalahari.net; loot.co.za and exlcusivebooks.com. You can also purchase a copy from Exclusive Books, Apsley House in Hyde Park and it will be available in other stores soon.

Competition - win one of three copies of Be My Guest

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to the following winners:

Bonita Brink, Melinda Jephtha and Jacquie Bate.

Author info: Sasha Wyatt-Minter

Sasha is one of the editors of www.all4women.co.za and is also a 30-something, work-from-home married mom with a passion for writing, reading, good food and wine. She's obsessed with healthy eating and experimenting with alternative health therapies. Her best reward at the end of a busy day - a good book, a massage and some dark chocolate!