We’ve made it! This month marks delicious’ 18^th birthday and without getting too emotional, it’s certainly been a wild ride.

To celebrate we’ve put together a bumper birthday issue, and we think it’s fair to say, we’ve gone a little overboard with the catering. Inside the pages of our November issue, you’ll find a special feature on party food to ensure no guest goes hungry. Flip through our selection of finger-friendly eats, from beetroot and bacon jam tarts to brioche toasts with duck and spiced rhubarb.

For a more informal get together (it’s silly season, after all), we’ve also included a section on grazing platters, where we’ve covered all bases from produce-heavy vegetarian spreads to stunning seafood arrangements and classic charcuterie boards.

For people-pleasers, check out our dedicated chicken wings feature, which we’ve filled with updated marinades from sweet and sticky maple and miso to spiced tandoori with raita and mango chutney. For a stand-up affair, you can’t go past Matt Lindsay’s recipes for falafel pitas and shawarmas (which make for great hangover food the next day, too).

Speaking of which, help yourself to the punch. We’ll show you how to make a killer bowl of batched bourbon negroni as well as Campari, Pimms and rosé spritzers to get the party started.

As to be expected, our birthday party guest list has blown out a little (okay, a lot) but thankfully, everyone has brought a plate to share. That includes our newest member of the family, Yotam Ottolenghi, who has rocked up with a walnut, cinnamon and haloumi baklava drizzled with a fragrant rose water syrup. Meanwhile, Paul Carmichael from Momofuku makes friends with a selection of Caribbean share plates, including curried marron and spicy Barbados fish cakes. Jill Dupleix is also in here somewhere with her famous polenta fries and gorgonzola dipping sauce, along with Rick Stein and his gooey maple syrup tart.

It wouldn’t be a celebration without a birthday cake, however, we couldn’t settle on just one. Matt Preston brings to the table a dessert of his own making – an epic birthday cake trifle – which sees layer upon layer of orange jelly, ganache, chocolate mousse and chocolate crackle that promises to win over both kids and adults alike (even nan, too).

For the final unveil, cake queen Phoebe Wood delivers the goods with a series of sugary creations, from the stacked to the stuffed, sugar-dusted and sprinkled. For a little taster, check out our magnificent pink cover star, the Monte Carlo cookies and cream cake.

We never let our party guests leave empty handy, that’s why you’ll find a copy of our very first national restaurant guide – the delicious 100 – which covers off on all the country’s best restaurants, so you’ll never question where to go for dinner again.

The November issue of delicious. is on sale today.