Summer is all about outdoor entertaining; and here's a few tips how I create the best outdoor party Hamptons Style! Wishing you a great season of entertaining from George Hirsch Lifestyle!
- First and foremost consider buffet style to take the pressure off serving courses, therefore allowing more time to enjoy your guests. Buffets can be a fun way to entertain and also span the levels of formality from casual to a very upscale celebration. The best parties’ most memorable outcomes have resulted from a more casual entertaining atmosphere, making buffet style entertaining my favorite way to organize a get-together.
- Tableware is essential to a successful party. Whether using disposables or traditional glassware, as a rule of thumb, have plenty of glasses, at least 3 times guest count without any being washed. Roll-Ups: Set up forks, spoons and knives rolled up into napkins. Make extra. Plate-Up according to your menu: Always provide one plate for hot prepared foods and another for cold dishes. Got umbrellas, canopies or a cabana? Provide shade for the bar & buffet food serving table and shade for guests.
- Cool beverages with an ice bath, ice mixed with water. It chills wine, beer and all container beverages faster than just ice. The ice maker is your friend: You’ll need about 1 pound or more of ice per person for drinks and chilling soft drinks, wine and beer.
- Include in your party plan the option of preparing some foods from home and buying some prepared foods from a local restaurant or specialty food market, which can alleviate party menu pressure for the busy home cook. The menu should include a complementary mix of meat, poultry, seafood, vegetable and salads for wide audience appeal. Themed menus are straightforward to get inspired by—simple done well, is my motto. Grill as much in advance of the party, so the grill chef gets to have some fun and enjoy the guests.
- Set up the bar one hour before guests arrive and close a couple of hours before guests leave. Time to close the bar is the perfect cue to put out desserts and coffee. Serve cookies and brownies. Make extra batches to send home with guests as a sweet token of your party.
What’s on the Menu? Your menu should include a mix of items for a wide audience appeal. A popular and relatively easy summer item on the grill is Kebabs.
Click for For King of Kebabs Recipe
Warm Hummus Is an Ideal Dip to serve with Kebabs along with olive oil, grilled lemons, chopped olives and chopped fresh mint, Tzatziki or chopped cukes, garlic, olive oil, Greek yogurt and dill.
