Editor's letter

So we were excited to be invited to just one of the celebratory events in the lead-up to Angeli Gulati and Vijay Ponnuru’s recent Hindu wedding. Angeli’s family home was full of flowers, Bollywood-inspired dancing, and, of course, plenty of wonderful food as they hosted friends and family at the sangeet. This pre-wedding event was traditionally for women only, but has since morphed into an opportunity for families to get to know each other prior to the wedding. Find out more about this colourful occasion on page 43.

Of course, you don’t need a wedding to throw a party. With the third series of Mad Men screening on SBS ONE from 18 February, we couldn’t resist the chance to channel Don and Betty Draper with our Mad Men-inspired cocktail party.You’ll love the retro canapés and drinks. We’re also noticing a new-found interest in Middle Eastern cuisine as people discover there’s more to it than tabouleh and kebabs. We drew on food editor Angela Nahas’s background to bring some traditional Egyptian dishes to the table. The bread pudding is a revelation – so simple and so delicious. Turn to page 64 for the recipes.

Our global travels took us to London this month, where we experienced a taste of Jamaica in the heart of England’s capital thanks to Levi Roots, who gave us a tour of Brixton – and the flavours of his childhood.

We love hearing about what you’ve been cooking, eating and discovering, so please get in touch by email or Twitter.

Happy feasting!