The summer is upon us. This means it’s time for fun, family, and cook-outs. If you’re planning to have friends or family over throughout the season, you’re going want food to serve them. Some enjoy food that is easy, which is perfectly fine. But, if you want to stand out—and have a memorable party—then try some of them outstanding summer foods.
First, realize that a skewer…is, not just a skewer. There’s no written rule that says each skewer must have meat and vegetables. Why not spice it up? Create dessert skewers that have a strawberry on each end, while a brownie and marshmallow are placed in the middle. Drizzle chocolate sauce over it. Place fruit onto a skewer and put it onto the grill. Have you ever tried fruit after it came off the grill? If you haven’t tried it, then you must. It’s a whole different range of flavor. You can also alternate your meat and vegetables. Take a piece of roast beef, for instance, like you would have them slice at the supermarket deli. As you place it on the skewer, weave a vegetable (or vegetables) in between the meat. It gives it a very decorative look.
Frozen lemonade is another delightful treat. You can flavor this nearly any flavor, such as raspberry or strawberry. If you have the time, make at least two different frozen lemonades for your guests. It’s as simple as getting a bottle of Sprite and the Minute Maid Lemonade from the freezer section of your supermarket. Then, all you do is buy frozen fruit to flavor it. Mix it together and you have your beverage. This is going to cool your guests down on a really hot day. I would keep this inside, however, because it could easily melt if it’s kept outdoors.
Similarly, think of how you can dress up food in relation to the holiday. This is usually done with strawberries. You can dip strawberries in white chocolate. Dip the strawberry so it covers two-thirds of the berry. Then, dip the berry in blue sprinkles if it’s the Fourth of July. This same concept can be done with pretzels. You can ice cookies all red, all blue or all white. Then place the cookies on a platter in a way that they resemble the American flag. You can do similar dress ups with watermelon and blueberries. The idea is to make your food memorable and make it stand out.
You may also want to include easy-to-eat foods. If you invite a lot of people, this will entail a lot of places for people to sit and enjoy their meal. But, if you include finger foods, such as mini corn dogs, chips, and dip, or Chex mix, this makes it easier for people to stand if they can’t find a seat. Try to think of food from the perspective of your guest. Nobody enjoys being crowded around a table. Lefties often bump into those eating with their right hands. It’s not easy to pull chairs in or out, You just feel…crunched. Providing easy-to-eat foods gives people to option to sit or stand; they don’t need to feel so close to others.
Finally, have a type of food bar. This doesn’t have to be an alcoholic bar. It could be a dessert bar, an appetizer bar or a bar that simply contains toppings. Make it easy for your guest to find what they want. They shouldn’t have to track you down or disrupt conversations just to find the catsup or silverware. You can have more than one food bar at your party, but make sure all the food is located in a centric area. This is going to make it easy to find everything. Summer is a terrific party time, but throw a party without the hassle. You deserve to have just as much fun as your guests. [email protected]
