Apéro à gogo

Apéro might be the thing I like best about France. Honestly, tell an English girl that she's allowed - nay, encouraged - to eat crisps and drink beer at 7pm, and you'll make her fall in love with wherever it is that this thing goes on.

An apéro (nobody worth their salted peanuts says apéritif) can be as simple as a beer and some crisps, or a glass of white wine and some olives, or a kir and some cashews. It's more fun if you turn it into an apéro dînatoire though: an all-evening affair with various different drinks and bits to pick at.

Here are some ideas:

Get yourself some puff pastry. It comes in rounds here, which is very helpful for making little savoury croissants with it. See recipe here. Filling suggestions:

- Tempeh bacon crumbles and marinated artichokes.
- Sun-dried tomatoes and pesto (not too much pesto or they get a bit greasy).
- Tofutti cream cheese and chopped olives.
- Tofutti cream cheese and mushrooms cooked with garlic and thyme.

Spice your own nuts. These are almonds toasted in a little olive oil, then hit with sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, and black pepper.

Everyone loves a big pan of popcorn. A cheaper and more delicious food cannot exist. Here flavoured with salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes.

Edamame make a nice addition. Here they're tossed with red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic sprinkles. And we have some wasabi peas, olives, and, of course, crisps on the side.