Are you planning your first ever garden party of the season? If you want to make it a memorable one, throw it on a thrillingly warm afternoon in the month of April. However, make sure that you prepare just the right foods to appeal to the taste buds of your guests in this sweltering weather.
So, if you and your guests want to chill out, pun intended, in the summer, here a few cool foods that Ido Fishman believes you should prepare for your party.
- Icy Beverages
When your t-shirt starts to stick to your back and the A/C is on the fritz, nothing helps cool you down faster than a frozen and refreshing cocktail. You can make many warm weather beverages to please the dynamic tastes of your guests. These can range from smoothies, to juices, and shakes. Whether you choose to make alcoholic ones or not, is entirely up to you. Just make sure that it is chilled.
- Slaws and Salads
When the temperature starts to rise, it becomes more and more difficult to feel excited about eating a heavy meal. In addition, simply the idea of spending hours in the kitchen near the hot stove makes you sweat.
According to the Ido Fishman food blog, what you can do instead, is make a slaw or salad when the cool evening air starts to blow. Once you are done, put it in the fridge to chill overnight so you can enjoy it in the days to come or serve it at your party the next day. Different types of slaws and salads serve their own purpose. Some make up proper meals whereas, others taste best when they accompany your favorite chilled proteins.
- Simple Wraps and Sandwiches
Sandwiches can just as well become the star of your garden party, if you make them with tasty, crunchy, nutrient-packed, and fresh ingredients. A tomato sandwich is perfect for a small and intimate gathering whereas, if you are looking for something fancier, opt for a beet noodle wrap.
Furthermore, you can combine your favorite wrap or sandwich with a salad or slaw and you will be good to go!
- Dessert
Heavy and hot meals may be a turnoff but, Ido Fishman says that you cannot go wrong with a dessert, especially if it is a frozen and delicious concoction. From mint chocolate cheese popsicles to frozen strawberry fluff, it is up to you and your sweet tooth to choose the perfect dessert for your party.
These days, red wine ice-cream sundaes are all the rave. You can join the trend and make these delicious treats to have your guests come back for more.
- Proteins
If you are looking to round out the meal you are planning for your guests, you may want to add a little protein to it. A warm-weather favorite is hummus served alongside fresh vegetables for the purpose of dipping. However, for your meat-lover friends, you can always prepare cold chicken strips. For any of your health-conscious friends, grilling chicken at home would probably be the best thing. Feel free to spice things up by using different marinades.
In addition, you can also look at other kinds of meat because food strips will taste delicious even when served cold. You cannot go wrong if you choose to slice up meat and use it as toppings for sandwiches and salads.
- Cold Soups
Soups are food that you can both eat, and drink! You can serve cold watermelon soup, which comes with light seasoning, for your vegetarian guests. On the other hand, the rest of the attendees are bound to love an avocado soup topped with crab.
With so many choices at hand, you can make your grand garden party or small, intimate gathering, a successful one. Everyone is bound to forget the sweltering heat of the sun once they taste the cool foods that you have prepared for the day.