Now is the time to spruce up the area you will use. The backyard has become an extension of the home and we all look forward to spending fun times socialising outdoors. Your entertaining area might be a tiled or paved courtyard, a patio or a deck. And after the long, wet winter these spaces will benefit from some clean-up attention and the planting of cheerful summer-flowering plants, perhaps in pots.

Attention also needs to be given to providing appropriate outdoor furniture. You will know how many guests you like to host, how much space you have available and these two factors, plus budget constraints, will determine your choices.

In order to maximise the period of time you can comfortably entertain outdoors, outdoor heating is a must. At the top end, a purpose-built fireplace is perfect. But not all of us can afford such a structure. So there are several other options. Gas burning patio heaters, which operate with gas bottles, give radiant heat which warms your guests around the barbecue table. But always be careful where you place these heaters in relation to your pergola. Clay fireplaces, which originated in Mexico, are relatively expensive to buy but cheap to run, are another option. And braziers, which are cheap to buy and run, are yet another option. Extreme care must be taken with these if you have children at the barbecue. You may find that with the provision of outdoor heating your outdoor entertaining can occur, if not all year round, at least during Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Lighting your barbecue area also requires attention. This will have not only practical benefits, but also it can create a wonderful atmosphere. Consider using hurricane lamps, fairy lights strung from close by trees or from the pergola and candles. Solar lights and garden torches are a great way to light up the pathways, so your guests can move safely to your barbecue area. And always make sure that you provide strong lighting for the chef!

The keys to having fun at your barbecue are planning and preparation. And there are six main areas to consider. They are: food, drink, the comfort of your guests, ambience, flexibility and the clean up.

Food

Plan a menu based on fresh seasonal food. If you are not a confident cook, keep it simple and try to do as much preparation as you can well ahead of time, so that you are relaxed and ready to enjoy the company of your guests as soon as they arrive.

I love to serve a large platter of nibbles as soon as the first guests arrive. They can happily help themselves and choose the foods that they particularly love. This works very well for people with food allergies and intolerances. Main course is usually choices of meat, seafood, salads and breads. And dessert is a selection of the beautiful summer fruits available at this time, and maybe a cake, especially if we are celebrating a family member’s birthday.

And be very particular about food safety. This is especially important if you are dining during the heat of the day. Avoid food with ingredients that spoil easily in the sun, or keep them refrigerated until the last possible moment, and in the shade thereafter. Remember, keep food COOL and COVERED. I remember seeing and hearing a wonderfully funny speech (with a serious message) given by Ruud Kleinpaste, the Bug Man, about the damage done to our health by flies at barbecues.

Drinks

A selection of drinks, including non-alcoholic options and plenty of iced water, will be appreciated by your guests. A large jug of punch (non-alcoholic), juice and/or water looks festive with strawberries, mint and ice floating on the top. And unbreakable, acrylic drinks glasses, especially if children are included, are essential.

Comfort

Of course the comfort of your guests will be uppermost in your mind. And here there are many things to be mindful of. Make sure that you have seating for everyone. If you are having a lot of people over you may need to get creative here. If your barbecue is being held during the heat of the day, ensure that you can provide plenty of shade for all, (with trees and umbrellas) and sunscreen too! If your barbecue is in the evening, have a plan to deal with those pesky uninvited guests – mosquitoes. At dusk, control is essential. Coils, environmentally-friendly citronella candles and citronella torches which use oil are all cheap, effective ways to ban those blood-sucking monsters. There are plenty of lotions and sprays, including natural products, which are also effective. Mosquito bites will leave some of your guests most uncomfortable for several days. That is not the way you want them to remember their evening at your place!

Ambience

The party will get off to a great start if you have well-chosen music playing in the background, drinks and food ready to share, appropriate lighting in place and a spectacular table setting, which adds pizzazz. If you are using a tablecloth, weighted clips are great in windy conditions. A small table on the side is useful to store water, wines and beers and serving trays.

Flexibility

Check the weather forecast and be flexible. Be prepared to go indoors for Plan B if the weather lets you down.

Clean up

If you are organised with places to put food scraps, rubbish, bottles and cans, it will be easy for your guests to do their bit throughout the gathering, and then the clean up at the end will not be so onerous for you, the host.

With warm nights and long, hot summer days ahead, it’s time to move the party outdoors. So, fire up the grill and enjoy your outdoor entertaining while you can!

Article by Robyn McGahan

 

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.

Please login or register.