Sarah Raven's recipes for alfresco eating

Preparing and eating food outside is always a summer highlight, says Sarah Raven in the second extract from her new book on cooking for friends and family.

One of the wonderful things about summer is the possibility of leading an outdoor kind of life. With the long, bright days and the guarantee of at least some good weather, we can eat, cook, chat and even sleep outside as much as possible.

There’s nothing I like better than bringing meals out to eat in the garden – simple, light, cheery food. This is the moment for crab, langoustine and scallops, eaten with just a bowl of herb or lemon mayonnaise.