Most parties have a purpose: to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or the start of a new adventure. But there are parties and there are parties. In her first book, party-planning expert Polly Betton shows you how to throw a shindig your friends and family won't forget.

Whether it's the perfect Prohibition affair, a decadent Victorian tea party or a fun-filled scavenger hunt, “Party!” is never short on inspiration and helpful tips on how to be a successful party planner. With Polly's advice, you will find that bringing together all the elements for the Party of the Century (venue, performers and DJs, props, helpers and caterers) is well within your reach and budget.

Polly also has lots of ideas for spicing up smaller-scale, more intimate dinner parties, and offers 100 recipes for gorgeous party food and show-stopping cocktails.

SAMPLE RECIPES

Dates in moonlight (pictured left) You will need some long wooden skewers for this.

Serves 6

Pack of dates Pack of pancetta 250g ricotta Squeeze of lemon Salt and pepper

Take your dates and very carefully cut in half across the middle (not lengthways!). Fish out the pit and you will end up with two little date 'cups' (cups are somehow a running theme in this menu, as you will see shortly).

Before you get into date chopping in earnest, line a baking tray with some foil and lay out some pancetta. Bake in the oven or under a grill until super crispy, but not burned. Set aside to cool. Once cool, break the pancetta up into shards.

Pop some ricotta into a bowl with a good

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