I realise Jeffrey was being serious when he talked about making too much to eat at one serving. The table has an enormous ceramic baking tray at its centre, filled to the brim with baked pasta. Steam is rising from the bubbling cheese on top. A large bowl filled with salad is on one side and a plate on the other is covered by slices of the most appealingly aromatic garlic bread I’ve ever seen.
“Grab a seat. Margaret will dish up,” he says.
“This looks amazing,” Alesha says.
Jeffrey gives a modest reply. “Don’t be too hasty to judge until you taste it.”
“Help yourselves to salad and bread. There are serving spoons in the middle and olive oil and balsamic at the side,” Margaret announces, while spooning a large serving of pasta onto each of our plates.
“There’s water in the jug, but wou
