A Backyard Barbecue

Rule number one for a stress free backyard get together, have ‘everything in its place.’ Prepping everything before your guests arrive, allows you to be where the party is instead of inside cleaning, chopping and searching for things while everyone else is outside having fun. 

Next, have a selection of beverages chilled and set up in an easy to access area for your guest to help themselves, a pitcher of 'signature cocktails' is a nice touch and background music a must. Keep the snacks simple, save the fussy appetizers and hot stuff for a fancy sit down dinner.

If serving meat, marinate ahead of time, this not only tenderizes the cut but adds oodles of flavour, 12-24 hours if possible. check out our recipe for our Espresso Balsamic Marinade under sauces in our recipe section, great for beef and pork.

Disposable dishes and cutlery make clean-up a breeze, but plastic and styrofoam, not enviromentally cool. There are some great options in stores now for bamboo or biodegradable paper options, made out of sugarcane and cornstarch. Zero guilt!

When it comes to sides, similar to marinating meat, some dishes taste better when time is on their side. Starchy sides actually taste better when made the day prior to serving, the dressing or sauce has time to develop, penetrate, and improve overall flavour! One less thing to do day of. 

Finish off the meal strong and serve up high quality or even better, locally made ice-cream. Artisan ice-creams don’t need many fixings, they’re delicious served unaccompanied due to the quality ingredients and excellent craftsmanship. So cheers to a summer of sunny days, friends, family and backyard BBQ's!