Went to a great 40th party last night - the hostess had cooked for all 110 guests - pretty amazing work. She produced some fabulously fiery thai curries - a green one with chicken and a red one with pork medallions, as well as a beansprout, cashew and chilli salad.

Her secret? A cookbook from Avoca - for those of you who've been to Ireland you might know it - a fabulous store with everything from locally sourced cafes to beautifully unique clothes and quirky homely items. It's a bit like Urban Outfitters http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/ but with a more homely feel. Take a look at their website at http://www.avoca.ie/ where you can order their recipe books online. And if you ever do go to Dublin or Belfast make a trip to one of their cafes to experience for yourself.