There were ten guests at my most recent hors d’oeuvres party. Charles served wine, sparkling water and fruit spritzers. I served olives, roasted peppers and artichokes from the market, and a cheese platter. I made three hors d’oeuvres as well. Here’s how I did it:

As the weather warms up, rosemary, the wonderful aromatic herb is at its best. So now is the time to chop up a few sprigs and stir into your favourite dishes. Its fresh bittersweet flavour and distinctive woody frangrance make it perfect for giving poultry that extra zing.

Warm Jersey Royals salad with asparagus and basil dressing with salmon

It was a snail that introduced me to garlic. My mother was from England and my father was from Slovakia so spice and punch came in the form of mustard, black pepper or sauerkraut. Olives, capers and anchovies never appeared on our table. Since then garlic appears so frequently in my recipes that I use garlic scapes, the immature flower stalks of hard neck garlic, as my logo.

Leading UK Spanish chef Jose Pizarro has created a mouth-watering little recipe for Easter. Using spring lamb, the recipe combines olives, mint, garlic, potatoes and lots of other gorgeous things to create a really delicious Easter feast or simple tapas with friends.

Why not celebrate St Patrick’s Day with Paul Rankin’s Irish Stew? Ready Steady Cook stalwart and owner of the successful Belfast-based restaurant Cayenne, has shared with us his exclusive recipe for Irish Stew. Paul’s recipe is a hearty concoction filled with meat, potatoes and vegetables – plus a few little twists of his own.

This rich and meltingly moreish fondue uses Frico Dutch Gouda cheese which has been flavoured with sun dried tomatoes, olives, herbs and garlic. It is perfect for sharing with friends.

These vegetarian koftas are flavoured with Frico Dutch Gouda, spring onions and flat leaf parsley. The smooth texture of the Gouda cheese is a great accompaniment to the spice and herbs used in this recipe.