Coffee tables are replacing dining tables as the new focus for eating and entertaining. The most imaginative home cooks are now offering guests starters alone, dismissing large cuts of meat or fish in favour of diminutive but beguiling bites.

Jennifer Joyce is one of the first cooks to recognize this lifestyle trend, and her book Small Bitesis the first to bring together tapas, mezze, anti-pasti and Asian street fare that can be enjoyed, in an informal style of eating and entertaining.

Contemporary, no-fuss food is laid out clearly, with hints on advance preparation and short-cuts, alongside suggestions for serving styles, dishes and drinks that work well together.