Garden Furniture News

« Building a patio….. | Home | GET YOURSELF FIT FOR SUMMER FUN »

Party !

By John | January 11, 2008

                                    The  coals are glowing,  the stars are out and entertaining is about to move outdoors this summer. Make your garden an extension of your living room by creating an inviting setting to entertain family and friends. For a successful party, guests should be comfortable inside and outdoors.. By using various types of lighting, you can create moods, as well as keep your guests moving freely — and safely — around the party. Try suspending paper and metal accordion lanterns from trees or porch eaves, use old lanterns from flea markets or antique stores to hold candles, and light large citronella torches that can be stuck in the ground for light and also repels insectsIn cold weather, outdoor lighting is all about fire ,With the advent of the many  torch designs out there, one can readily and inexpensively create the outdoor room with a perimeter of fire. The upside is not only a definition of space but a controlled insect free zone if one uses citronella in the torches. Fire pits are another great way to add ambient light while creating a focal point to gather round.

Now what about the food?  First, start with a very clean grill. Make sure you remove all of the cooked on meat and carbon. The importance of this is two-fold; a clean grill will help to make sure none of your food sticks to the grill and you can make those great grill marks. Second, you don’t want any off flavors from the carbon build-up on the grill rack,When you cook a large piece of meat use an indirect cooking method in which you place the coals on either side of the grill. Place the meat in the center of the grill, not directly over the coals. This will provide even cooking and no burning meat.


Set up your food and drink stations in two distinct areas. That way, guests will move around more and not congregate next to one or the other in a big group. Tin washtubs, available at most home centers, make great containers for beer and soft drinks. Offer a selection of white or red wine, or consider serving a white or red sangria to make use of delicious summer fruits. If you decide to serve mix drinks, keep it simple by selecting one or two “specialty” drinks, like martinis or margaritas.Remember when you entertain guests, don’t try out fancy new recipes that keep you in the kitchen — or at the coals — for hours. Keep it easy and casual, and serve your friends and family what you like to eat, because chances are, they’ll enjoy it as well. But if you do run out of ideas try the following.  Grilled Salmon on a Bed of Roasted peppers with a balsamic sauce

10 Portions3 fair sized salmon steaks

Salt and pepper as needed

Vegetable oil as needed

1. Cut the salmon into 10 equal portions steaks, 5 to 6 ounces. Season them with salt and pepper. Brush with the oil. Allow any excess to drain away before placing on grill.

2. Place the salmon presentation side down on the grill. Grill undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Turn the salmon a quarter turn during grilling to achieve grill marks. Turn the salmon over and complete cooking, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

3. Serve the salmon with the balsamic vinegar and pepper sauce.

Roasted Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

8 fluid ounces balsamic vinegar

8 fluid ounces fish stock

2 ounces chopped tomatoes

1 ounce chopped herbs such as thyme or tarragon

1 tablespoon arrowroot mixed with a small amount of water

2 ounces mushrooms

3 ounces roasted green pepper julienne

3 ounces roasted red pepper julienne

3 ounces roasted yellow pepper julienne

Combine the vinegar, stock, tomatoes and herbs. Bring the mixture to a simmer and thicken it lightly with arrowroot mixture. Add the mushrooms to the sauce. Add the peppers and simmer the sauce to 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust with salt and pepper and serve.

Topics: Eating Outdoors |

Comments