How to create a Hygge and champagne dinner party in winter

Champagne is not just for sipping on at elegant parties. Its refined taste can also be matched with food and, as Nuria Stylianou finds, fits in nicely with the latest Danish trend of creating a cosy atmosphere in winter

The chefs at La Belle Assiette paired champagne with their dishes to cook and serve in your own home

As the nights draw in it’s tempting to “hibernate” until March. Dinner-and-drinks dates with friends are shelved last-minute in favour of cosy nights in curled up on the sofa with good wine, good food and a bingeworthy box set. Of course, some nights you might actually fancy a good chinwag over lovely wines in a lively restaurant – but set one foot outside your door into the bone-aching cold, and you want to scuttle straight back into the warmth.

If this sounds all too familiar, you will be pleased to learn there is a new way to enjoy life’s finer things while avoiding frostbite. Catering service La Belle Assiette, partnering with Moët Hennessey, offers Champagne-paired meals prepared and served in your own home. Each menu is carefully created with the help of Champagne experts and talented chefs to enhance the flavours of both food and drink.

Allergies and food intolerances are catered for, so no worries on that score. A professional chef will arrive at your home with all the ingredients, then cook, serve and even wash up – no kitchen is too poky or awkward for these experts to negotiate. It’s the perfect, cosy evening, free of the stress of cooking for guests – and with nothing more taxing for you to do than slip into something more presentable than your fluffy bunny winter onesie.

Menus range from £59 to £119 per person depending on three or four courses. It is one of the best ways to spend a Friday night or a long Saturday lunch. Yann and Graham were our super-talented chefs for the evening; they have worked across the globe, from Thailand and Australia to France, Luxembourg, and Berlin, their wide experience infusing their culinary repertoire with an abundance of different cultures.

Much of the food prep had been taken care of in advance, and the evening unfolded smoothly, each beautifully presented dish introduced with a quick explanation alongside the wine. After dinner, we were free to carry on quaffing the fizz and talking the night away, without having to keep an eye on the time for that last train home.

So treat yourself and your pals – all you have to do is convince them to venture out as far as your place… and possibly offer them a comfy sofa for the night.

Here are the wine and food pairings we enjoyed:

Moët and Chandon Brut Imperial NV

£37.99, Majestic

Buy it here

The Brut Imperial is the perfect apéritif to start off the evening, with crisp, refreshing citrus and a touch of toast. A delicate match for crispy hens egg, quinoa and pomegranate tabouleh, green asparagus and sesame-citrus vinaigrette.

Moët and Chandon, Grand Vintage 2008

£40, Ocado. Buy it here

Winter 2008 was a cold one – but fortunately it kept the acidity high in this new-release Grand Vintage. More Burgundy-driven, it’s super fresh with precise structure and ripe, juicy yellow fruit. Paired with five-spice roast monkfish, emerald chermoula, and crushed aubergine with baked figs and red wine jus.

Moët and Chandon Brut Rosé Imperial NV

£54.99, Selfridges. Buy it here

Fruits of the forest soufflé with bubblegum sorbet was a beautiful complement to the fizz’s full mix of summer berries and strawberries. The soufflé was perfectly cooked, with a lightness of touch and flavours that melted on the tongue.

For more information contact labelleassiette.co.uk

Nuria Stylianou is our WSET-qualified wine and spirits columnist. Email her on nuria.stylianou@gmail.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @nu_on_the_vine