Barbecues are indeed fun.
It displays your barbecue skills.
Indeed, it's nice to fill the 4th of July with such feasting fun. Checklist:
Snacks
first course
main course
dessert
alcohol free drinks
skewers
table linen
flatware
paper plates and cups
these are more convenient than china and glassware
Using electric grills is ideal. But if there is no free plug point around,
use small to medium sized portable grill.
It can be carried anywhere.
Menu reminder:
Let everyone share a hand in the cooking. It's fun as well as offloads the burden.
Make sure there are enough snacks for all guests to
munch about while the main food is grilling.
Fill the menu with dips, chips and fresh salads.
Marinate meats and dry foods to moisten and flavor them.
Some tips:
Most fish cook extremely well on the barbecue, making the work easier for
you.
And they have high nutrition value. Just take care not to over cook
them,
or it will just fall apart or dry out completely.
For barbecuing vegetables you can either pack them in foil, season,
and then place the packages on the barbecue. This is easy to prepare
and
at the same time retains the original spirit.
The same trick applies for preparing fruit kebabs as well.
Just make sure the foil packages are tightly closed,
so all the precious
juices are retained.
They cook better on dying embers. (check out the recipes section)
Summer Fruit cup:
Served in a large glass or punch bowl, it also looks wonderfully festive
and a perfect dessert for the barbecue meet.
Slice an orange, a lemon, whole strawberries, seedless green grapes
and finely sliced cucumber into the bowl
and add 4 mint sprigs, and 4 lemon balm sprigs, if liked.
Base this on grape juice, or exotic fruit juice flavors.
Such as mango, pineapple, and passion fruit juice.
Top the fruit punch with seltzer for a better effect.
Decorations:
While decorating the set for the barbecuing on the 4th July,
let the spirit of the Day dominate throughout.
Lay the table with linen laced with red, white and blue ribbons
- side by side in the same order.
Trim white napkins with red and blue ribbon; red with blue and white ribbon.
Make red, white and blue tissue flowers and wire them into cone shaped dry foams.
Make ribbon loops in one color, either red or blue, stitch their ends and wire them.
Then push them into the cone between the flowers to finish.
The cones may be used as table decorations
or they may be speared on lengths of bamboo stakes.
Paint the stakes red or blue and secure them in decorated pots of gravel.
These give the patio a festive air.
Watchwords:
Take your parent's help.
Back up your barbecue with a little forethought. It will help you turn out a nice show.
Make sure you have a grill, or grills,
large enough to cook sufficient food for the number of guests invited.
Check that you have enough propane gas of fuel such as wood or charcoal.
The barbecue should be on a stable, level surface in a place
where it is not likely to get knocked over and safely positioned
This helps avoid accidents caused by running past the grill.
Keep ingredients chilled before cooking.
Never leave food to stand out in the sun where flies and insects may contaminate it.
Keep the foods with eggs or mayonnaise secured from the heat. It will help you prevent food poisoning.
Place the barbecue grill away from fences or other combustible material.
Do not light up right next to your neighbor's back door as the fumes may cause offence.