The fresh perspective...
Freshair Boutique
Host the Ultimate BBQ
Summertime brings on one of my favorite activities, hosting! Most people find it a hassle and prefer to never have people over. Yes. It is a hassle! You gotta clean BEFORE your guests arrive and again AFTER they leave. You gotta make sure that there’s going to be enough of everything for everyone (regardless of diet) and you gotta have enough space to house it all!
Hosting a get-together can be a daunting task but I am here to reassure you that it can be easy, and quite fun if you organize yourself and follow a few tips. First of all, A BBQ is the best idea because it’s outside! This minimizes the amount of people in your home, which equals less cleaning! You will need to make sure guests know where the bathroom is ahead of time, as this will be the only reason anyone (except for you) goes into the house.
You need a space with enough seating for your guests. We have a large tables and a few smaller cocktail tables on our deck to keep snacks or spark smaller conversations. The large dining table is where everyone comes to eat, while the smaller ones allow for more mixing and mingling. If your BBQ is an evening one, make sure there is enough lighting in your ‘seating area’ to keep the party going.
It never hurts to have a few games kicking around on a table or two. It gives folks a chance to interact in a different way. Along with games, don’t forget the music. Now days you can find playlists that suit any type of party you are hosting. you can even have a few different ones to guide the evening along. Maybe play some music that is fun and fast as guests arrive, then slow it down while people are dining.
That brings me to the food. It’s very important to make sure that everyone can eat and there will be more than enough food. I usually aim to make more than needed and in the case if there are a lot of leftovers, i am prepared with cute takeaway boxes for my guests to use. this keeps my fridge space, which is already at a premium, free for my real ‘everyday life’ food. Make sure you find out everyone’s preference before hand and then throw it on an open flame. Grilled anything is the best! Make a few salads and prepare the appetizers ahead of time as well. That way, all you need to worry about is the food you’ll be grilling. Dessert can be real fun too. Watermelons are a crowdpleaser, but if you really want to make this ULTIMATE, try throwing some fruit on the grill and serve with some french vanilla ice cream! Pineapple and peaches are my favorite. And just like that, BOOM! You ‘don did it!
-that’s the fresh perspective…
