Tempting springtime party food to prepare in advance

Celebratory Italian treats which won’t keep you busy in the kitchen on the day

I’ve been testing recipes for a birthday party that I’m going to cook for myself in a couple of weeks. Full of spring, a bit Garden of England (cherries, broad beans and cucumber) and quite a bit of Italian.

My dream is that I’ll prepare all of this in advance and leave platters around the place along with bowls of roasted nuts and chipsticks. It will, of course, be sunny and I’ll receive our guests into our tidy house, perfectly relaxed, having done all the work in advance. Revellers will spill outside enjoying beer from the local brewery and boxes of cheap wine. The kids will behave impeccably throughout and I’ll be ready to embark on the second half of my life. This may be fanciful, but I hope someone (hint, hint) will also bake me a cake so I’ll have candles to blow out.