Barbecue Tips

Barbecue Tips #1: How to send

• email - put a picture in it!
• use an online invitation service
• snail mail - too much trouble for a casual event!
• word of mouth - easy, but poor results
• phone calls - let's play phone tag! Don't do it, you'll make yourself crazy.
• here's my sample E-mail invitation:

Barbecue Tips #2: How to follow up

• The largest factor in getting a good attendance is advertising the event.
• People need to be told, and then reminded, several times.
• A spreadsheet or word processing document helps to track who is coming and what they are bringing.
• Review this a few days before the party and make adjustment where necessary.
• Send out a follow up email with an attachment showing that spreadsheet about who's coming and who's bringing what
• Repeat send your email - you'd be surprised how many people are clueless and require repeat reminders.
• Repeat that email once more the day before - believe it.
• Make maps for everyone - connect up with Mapquest and put it on your invite
• Balloons at the mailbox say, "here you are, this is the place!
• Name tags? - depends upon the group

Barbecue Tips #3: Planning a picnic. How are you going to do this?

• All by yourself? (You know this is insane, don't you?)
• Pot luck?
• Ask guests to bring twice their offering - they should take anything they don't use back home - make sure you have ziploc bags in case they forgot.
  

Barbecue Tips #4: How to ensure you don't get twenty cakes and no entrees.

Barbecue Tips #5: Grilling

• Is your grill clean?
• Propane, charcoal, wood chips?
• Who is going to stand over this grill? Make sure people know in advance if this is "self-help."

Barbecue Tips #6: You'll need some groceries for:

• ground beef patties
• corn for the barby
• cole slaw
• chips or tortilla chips
• veggie tray from the grocers
• cheese and chips from the grocers
• potato salad
• baked beans
• dessert - cake or cupcakes
• condiments
• mustard, catsup, horseradish, a1 sauce, heinz 57, mayo
• buns
• skewers? (optional)
• or step up
• crock pot chicken wings
• crock pot meatballs in your favorite sauce
• and a recipe or two for sauces and marinades.

• *tip - two sauces that go exceptionally well for grilling almost any protein are pesto and chimichurrie.
• *tip - i had some whipped cream almost forgotten in the fridge and whipped up some cream fraiche - a great addition to meatsand fish.
• *tip - if you find you really need an appetizer and waited until the last minute, and you don't feel like dealing with a dozen ingredients, cut a nice steak into cubes, fry in a heavy skillet for just a minute, and insert a toothpick. If served immediately, you really can't top this for popularity.

Barbecue Tips #6: Cleanup Before

• Water outdoor plants, make sure fountains are working, clean up your deck
• Sanitize the ice chest the day before.
• Someone will surely go ahead and use the ice from it no matter what you tell them about using the ice bucket.

Barbecue Tips #6: Supplies

• paper plates
• plastic knives, forks and spoons
• napkins
• ice
• ziplocks and clean-up bags

Serving Items

• large spoons or tongs
• serving platters or bowls

Equipment

• tables - fold out aluminum or plastic with cloths
• chairs

Presentation

• pots of plants - here's an idea - bring out your bushy houseplants just before the party and insert thick-stemmed flowers into them to s t r e t c h your dollars. I use those green plastic florist picks for this.
• or bud vases on each table
• or - and this is my favorite - pots of herbs, which youmay or may not choose to send home with guests
• candles on the tables
• tablecloths - none, paper, plastic, or cloth
• music - optional
• something fun and light - how about the golden oldies that pertain your group's age? This isn't the time for classical music unless you're a chamber group.

Beverages

• don't forget ice in an ice chest
• set-ups: pop, ginger ale, tonic, club soda, stir straws, cherries, citrus slices, ice tongs, ice bucket
• no matter who brings the beverages, you need to consider this. Just decide if you are providing or they are bringing and note this in your invitation.
• beer, wine, and/or cocktails
• soft drinks
• water and juice

Games

• badminton
• swimming if you have it
• cornhole
• if you live in the Midwest, this is de rigour
• if there will be kids, sprinklers and water slides
• frizzbee
• baseball
• croquet

Miscellany

• Figure out what you will do if it rains. Possibilities - i've been there - include putting the grill in the garage and the rest of the party in the house. Or, you could send out a "rain date" in the invitation. If you expect just a drizzle - don't - people are confused easily.
• If you can, get cleaning help. If not, get your apron on! Close off the private rooms, and only tidy up the common areas. Back yards help a lot here. Tidy up your outdoor area. 
• As with all large parties, the night before, have pizza, subways, or one of those grocery store pre-prepared meals, you don't want to have the kitchen a mess.

Going fancy?

• candles - only if it's going late
• torches - going elegant, are you?
• bug spray
• pool? Don't forget to remind people to bring swimsuits. Have towels ready.
• umbrellas, swizzle sticks, sliced citrus and mareschino cherries.

Don'ts

• Don't serve soup - it doesn't work well in picnic menus
• Don't stress out - this is supposed to be fun - the best asset your picnic has is a relaxed hostess
• Don't get stuck with the bill from a group outing. Just because it's your house, and mostly your work, doesn't mean that you should be left holding the bag. 
• People tend to appreciate more what they pay for, anyway. Look at your receipts and decide if you need reimbursement from the group for things like set-ups, paper, plastic, and ice.

Barbecue tips for after the party- do a "Post-party-um"

• Make notes about what worked and what didn't
• Don't hold it against the careless people who didn't bother to rsvp - their loss. Don't get mad, get even, make sure you nominate them for next year's bash.
• Did I forget anything? Let me know!

If you like these barbecue tips, here's some for elegant party planning.

Cooking tips in poems? Who knew?