Everything tastes better outdoors – convert your patio into the dining room for the summer months.
Fruit is so beautiful during the summer. Fill a large bowl full and use it as your table center piece.
Have plenty of beverages on hand for your party guests. Fun garbage pails or aluminum potting bins, or terra cotta pots make great coolers filled with ice. Place a few cold packs at the bottom so the ice lasts longer.
Fondue is a great outdoor party idea – especially with Seasoned Skewers – it provides great ambience and keeps all your guests involved.
Keep the grill on for dessert. Grilled fruits are a wonderful summer dessert, drizzled with honey or chocolate sauce or with vanilla ice cream. You can also toast marshmallows over the grill for the classic summer dessert – s’mores.
Forget the paper plates – mix and match old picnic basket and camping tableware for a fun, eclectic table.
Hang paper lanterns or put tea lights in brown paper bags filled with sand in the bottom around your patio to create fun, soft lighting. Be sure to turn off any motion sensitive lights so the mood you have worked to create isn’t interrupted throughout the evening.
Barbequing can be elegant too – bring out your nice dishes and linens. Tie your tablecloth down with some pretty ribbon or muslin in a grid pattern so it doesn’t blow in the wind. Place finger bowls with lemon at each place setting.
Get creative with fun summer cocktails – add different seasonal berries to your favorite Sangria, pitted cherries or apricot slices are great in Gin and Tonic, and Mojitos become marvelous with the addition of fresh watermelon.
Summer entertaining can be as simple as a Sunday dinner outdoors with your family. Have the kids help make skewers with meats, fish and veggies, shuck corn, and tear crisp greens for salad and take a turn at churning homemade ice cream.
