Hosting a Fabulous Summer BBQ

If you have never entertained in your home before, you may be wondering how you can wow your friends with a party they will never forget. When the weather is nice the answer to that question is a classy backyard barbeque. You may have cooked out with your family before and be asking yourself how you can turn a barbeque into a world class dinner party. The right food and a few fabulous touches will turn your soiree into the talk of the town. Barbeques are becoming so much more than a cheap evening in the backyard. You can find high end recipes for the grill on the internet. Many famous chefs are sharing their favorite recipes and tricks.

The first thing to take into consideration is bug control. Even if you are serving the best food in town, your guests will be very unhappy if they are constantly being bitten by mosquitoes. You will need mosquito repellant candles and possible mosquito repellant torches. Make sure you calculate the amount of space that your guests will occupy and buy enough protection. Instructions will be on the packaging of the products you buy. IF you are hosting a big event or you want to step up the atmosphere, consider renting tents. If you can, serve food inside and then allow your guests to go outside and eat. A mud room or sun porch can easily be turned into a make shift serving station. This will ensure that no ants crash your party.

What drinks to serve should be next on your list. It is your decision whether or not to serve any alcohol at your barbeque. If you do try having a limited selection of beer, wine and you can whip up a quick mixed drink or two. Try finding a recipe for a mango margarita or a strawberry daiquiri; both are guaranteed to be popular with your guests. Pinot Gringo and Merlot are two good wines to choose and you should offer two domestics and one imported beer for your guests to choose from. Ice tea and lemonade are good non-alcoholic choices. Guests will really appreciate a cooler stocked with regular and diet sodas.

Food should be kept simple and tasty. On the grill you can have hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled chicken. If you really want to impress, you can try your hand at some surf and turf by offering steak and grilled lobster tail. You can also serve shrimp on skewers or kabobs. Make kabobs by alternating chicken or beef with vegetables on a skewer. You can also add a little Greek flair to your barbeque by using lamb meat on the kabobs. Serve snacks throughout your barbeque in cute plastic bowls. These snacks can include potato chips, pretzels, and vegetable trays. You do not need to buy expensive pre-made trays at the store. Go to your local party store and pick up a couple of inexpensive plastic trays and make your own. You just put a small bowl of dip in the center and then arrange the cut vegetables around the dip; this is easy to do with fruit, meats and cheeses too. Try broccoli, carrots, pea pods, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and green pepper strips. Cole slaw and baked beans are easy to prepare and are usually crowd pleasers. Most people will also enjoy pasta, potato and macaroni salad. The ingredients you can include in these are diverse and you can really come up with some creative and inspired dishes. Do not worry about the mayonnaise spoiling; it is a little know fact that the mayonnaise actually makes these salads last longer.

It is the little things that will really impress your guests. Make sure that you have enough plastic silverware, paper plates, napkins and drink cups. Nothing ruins a party faster than not being able to find a cup or napkin. If your party has a theme you can find everything you need at the local party store. Place trash cans in convenient places and keep them emptied throughout your event. You may have to bus the tables a little bit but it is better than everything getting messy. Do not save all of the clean up for the end of the night. Simple flower arrangements will add the perfect finishing touch. Place them on serving and guest tables for a touch of color.