Seasonal Entertaining Made Easy
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It's time to dust off the outdoor furniture, fire up the grill and get ready for a season of warm-weather fun. Statistics indicate that the spring and summer months are peak times for parties and other social functions. A simple tour of your neighborhood will corroborate those claims as you'll see people gathered for backyard bashes all over town.
As this season gets into full swing, it's best to ready yourself for the entertaining you, too, will be doing. Here are some tips that can set your event apart from the others.
* Become a culinary grillmaster: Grilled and barbecued food and the warm weather go hand in hand. So sure up your skills when cooking over an open flame. Key things to consider are cooking times for the foods you'll be serving. Poultry will take longer to cook than meats, so partially cook it ahead of time indoors if you want to serve your drumsticks alongside your franks and burgers. Seafood cooks in a snap, so that should go on at the very last moment.
Create foolproof burgers -- a barbecue staple -- by forming homemade patties with a small ice cube housed inside the center of the ground beef. As the burgers cook, the cube will melt and keep the burger moist. For innovative flavors while grilling, experiment with marinades and even aromatic woods that can be placed with the coals, such as mesquite.
* Explore drink mixology: Light and refreshing beverages complement warm-weather parties, so have a variety of drinks on hand to appeal to the palette -- from cocktails to non-alcoholic refreshment. Think unique when crafting drinks and move beyond the standard fare.
Molinari Sambuca Extra is a must-have for anyone's personal bar inventory because its versatility and distinctive taste works well in many settings -- and the Sambuca recipe has remained virtually unchanged since its inception in 1945, by spirit purveyor Angelo Molinari. Today, Molinari Sambuca Extra is the primary choice of Sambuca lovers everywhere and is, by far, Italy's favorite. Sambuca can be enjoyed as an after-dinner digestive. It's also the perfect companion to coffee, particularly espresso, and it is often enjoyed chilled ice cold, or as part of delicious desserts and other recipes. It can be especially versatile for summertime entertaining when mixed with seasonal berries and other refreshing ingredients to create innovative drinks. Here's a recipe to get you started.
MOLIBERRY
1/3 Molinari Sambuca Extra
1/3 Cranberry Juice
1/3 Soda Water
Serve in a tall glass with ice.
Visit www.molinari.com for more recipes and information on Molinari Sambuca. For other inquiries, contact Shaw-Ross International Importers at 954-430-5020.
* Keep it simple: Summertime entertaining should be carefree and informal. Good food and drinks done well will go a long way toward keeping guests satiated. As host or hostess you also want to be able to enjoy your event, so prep as much as you can in advance a day or two before your party.
Any foods that can be made ahead and chilled will save you time the day of. Set up a spread of finger foods over ice, or keep them warm with chafing dishes and let guests pick and choose buffet-style. Forgo the fine china and cutlery for disposable, or for a more environmentally conscious option use brightly colored, reusable plastic pieces.
Enlist the help of a friend or family member to serve as the resident bartender to keep tabs on guests' consumption and safely steer them elsewhere when they've had too much.
Instead of time-consuming and complicated desserts, opt for pre-made confections from your local bakery. Or as the perfect antidote to hot, sticky days and nights, set up a help-yourself ice cream bar with all of the fixings.
Warm-weather entertaining is a time for friends, family and fun. With a few simple ideas, you can host your own event and enjoy it as well.