Copyright, Valerie Giles ©
"A wonderful way to entertain family and
friends in an outdoor setting is with a backyard
barbeque party. With proper planning and the right
environment people will be talking about your party all
summer. Important factors to think about when
entertaining are things like the barbeque grill,
seating, lighting, and of course the menu planning."
Today’s barbecue choices have never been greater. The
designs and options are wonderful, there really is a
barbecue that fits your individual barbecuing needs.
Barbecues
come in both natural gas and propane grills. Barbecues
are available in portable fire pit models excellent for
a patio or backyard, giving the feeling of being around
an actual fire pit. Other barbecue designs include
charcoal-wood grills, portable grills and outdoor
stoves. Weber makes some of the most durable and
reliable quality grills, using stainless steel burners
to provide long- wearing even heat and burners with
spider and insect screens to keep the burners pest free.
The stainless steel hoods and bodies are long lasting
and great looking. Several of the designs also include
built in thermometers.
Another great addition to your backyard cooking options
might be a bbq smoker. These
bbq smokers are perfect for seafood delicacies and
traditional barbecue meals like beef brisket, ribs or
pork. They are also excellent for chicken, seafood or
anything needing direct high temperatures. Briquettes
are available that burn for up to eight hours giving a
wonderful smoked flavor.
A beautiful patio leaves you with the feeling that your
at a cottage or a wonderful outdoor retreat, the nice
thing is it’s a much more affordable alternative to
owning a cottage. With the great selection of patio
furniture and accessories on the market you can design
your patio to be your own personal vacation in your
backyard. The patio is not only a convenient getaway,
but also a natural extension of your home’s design and
décor. Black is a popular color for furniture as is
antiqued greens with a distressed look. Wooden furniture
is again popular, teak being a favorite as it ages so
beautifully. Patio furniture is available with armrests,
high back chairs and swivel rockers with matching
ottomans, all for ultimate comfort. Most of the outdoor
furniture sold today is made with all weather fabrics;
it’s also wise to select furniture that will be durable
and low maintenance.
When throwing and planning a barbecue patio party you’ll
want to be prepared and know approximately how many
people will be coming. You want to be sure there is
enough available seating so everyone is comfortable.
You’ll also want to be prepared for unexpected weather.
Awnings are an excellent option, allowing you to take
control of the weather on your deck or patio in a
moment; there are also outdoor tents that you can set up
with a table inside to shelter yourself from the rain.
It’s important to have at least one outdoor umbrella to
provide protection and shade for your guests from the
hot sun, not to mention they also look nice. There is no
shortage of excellent patio furniture and comfortable
outdoor sitting options.
Patio heaters are also welcome for cooler evenings
after the sun goes down.
It’s important to have a proper serving or buffet
surface for your party, a place where you can have all
the food, beverages, plates and utensils. Portable carts
or side tables can also work well. You may even have a
built-in countertop.
The lighting for your outdoor party will only matter if
the barbecue carries on into the evening; regardless the
lighting is something that is nice to think about as it
adds so many ambiences to your backyard setting. There
are outdoor solar-powered lights available and other
lighting options in several designs. Luminaries,
candles, miniature white lights strung between trees or
along your patio, or some lovely white paper lanterns
hanging from your trees can make your patio
extraordinary.
Bug control is a must at your outdoor party. Burn
citronella candles to help keep a variety of bugs away.
If yellow jackets are a nuisance in your yard, traps are
available from your garden center or nursery. Remember
to cover food, especially the meat and sweet drinks on
the table to protect from bugs.
A few other nice additions to your party might be; gift
bags for any children attending the party, you can fill
the bags with fun ideas found at the dollar store like
glow sticks, crayons and little notepads etc., it’s a
nice idea to keep the children occupied; patio heaters
are excellent if it starts to cool down in the evening,
or for unexpected cooler days; flowers in planters or
hanging baskets will further add to the appeal of your
yard; lastly a nice variety of music sets the mood and
adds a nice overall feeling to your party.
Planning the meal is probably the biggest challenge to
your party. You’ll want to know in advance if any of
your guests have any special eating preferences,
allergies, dislikes. You can always go with the standard
burgers, veggie burgers (f there will be any vegetarians
attending), steaks and salads knowing that everyone will
be satisfied and full. On the other hand, you might want
to surprise your guests with a wonderful honey barbeque
broiled steak; a simple marinade can be made with
garlic, marjoram, salt, pepper, dry mustard, honey, and
balsamic vinegar. The selected steak or chicken can then
be kept in the marinade for a couple of hours in the
fridge, next step is onto the
barbecue.
Excellent side dishes might be some potato salad, a
green salad and corn on the cob.
In the summertime cold drinks are a must. You might make
some cold lemonade, and have some carbonated beverages
on hand. A nice addition to any buffet table is a lovely
punch (alcohol or non alcohol) with some lemon slices
and fresh fruit additions. Always have lots of ice
available to keep the drinks cold. For dessert some cut
fruit such as strawberries, melon and watermelon slices
prove refreshing or a fruit salad can be nice, and of
course a nice cake or some cookies is always sinful but
popular. Later on, a bowl of corn tortilla chips served
with salsa is well liked.
Of course your budget will determine how much you can
and can’t do as far as decorating at your party. But
don’t let that discourage you, it takes time to get your
patio looking exactly the way you want it, in the
meantime keep your eyes open and look for ideas. A
simple picnic table and some plastic outdoor chairs work
well too; a barbecue really is all about the food and
atmosphere created.
With some planning and the right atmosphere your outdoor
barbeque party will be a success. Whether your party is
big or small, a barbeque is a wonderful way to get
together with your closest friends and family members to
enjoy the summertime and some great food.
Resource Box:
_______________________
Valerie Giles owns and operates
Best BBQ Online , a resource
web site featuring
bbq
grills, bbq smokers, weber gas grills,
grill accessories
and rotisseries, bbq recipes and marinades and patio
heaters. Everything you need for the barbequing season.
http://www.best-bbq-online.com
Try some of our
Mouth Watering Recipes.
Back to
Main Article Page.
Back to
Main Gas Grill Article Page.
