Yum! Dining alfresco

One of the best ways to enjoy our fabulous Canadian summers is to move the meal outdoors and dine al fresco. Eating outside is one of the hottest summer food trends as stylish and efficient barbeques become like a second kitchen on the back deck and light, spacious coolers make it easy to pack it all up and take the feast on the road.

Casual cocktails
A backyard barbecue is the perfect atmosphere for casual summer entertaining. People love to graze (particularly during hot weather when appetites are diminished), enjoying small tastes of many different foods. Two-bite skewers of chicken, meat or vegetables naturally lend themselves to this type of party, plus, they can be trimmed, marinated and arranged on sticks ahead of time, then grilled fresh and passed when your guests arrive. If made small, they cook quickly and take up little room on the barbecue so several types can be grilled at once.

Since marinated foods taste best when made at least several hours (and usually up to one day) ahead, take advantage and arrange the food on skewers when you marinade so it is ready to use. Store each type of skewer in separate long, covered plastic containers that stack neatly in the refrigerator (and then in an ice-filled cooler beside the barbecue) so they are ready to pull out and use at party time. When grilling, section off the barbecue for each type and don't combine uncooked foods on the same plate.

Be sure to also have several interesting dips with cut vegetables and broken-up flatbread for guests to help themselves while the hot foods are grilling. And, when passing skewered treats, have a glass on the tray for those pesky empty sticks that no one knows what to do with.

For a little added sparkle, serve a round of fruity low-alcohol cocktails at the start of the evening. One special cocktail is all you need to create the mood without setting up a full bar outside. Make your life easy and mix-up a big batch in a pitcher to keep at the bar and pour for guests as they arrive. Don't forget a fun summery garnish -- a few fresh berries, knots of citrus rind or ice cubes with frozen mint make the drink extra special. For tasty make-ahead recipes, check out 14 easy appetizers and pitchers of pleasure.

Dinner on the deck
For a smaller, more intimate affair, set your patio table with proper china (not the plastic stuff), wine glasses, linens and a bouquet of fresh flowers from the garden and enjoy an elegant dinner on the deck. Start with your favourite bottle of well-chilled rosé or Riesling wine, then sit-down for a market-inspired dinner of seasonal produce, such as a beautiful tossed salad, grilled vegetables and a homemade fruit tart for dessert.

The elegance of al fresco dining is not a show-stopping entrée but lots of fresh produce presented with flair -- a slice of Buffalo mozzarella cheese slipped between heritage tomatoes, a drizzle of aged Sherry vinegar over grilled peppers or a bowl of fresh berries sprinkled with chocolate mint. If you have fresh herbs in the garden, play restaurateur and use small bunches to garnish your plates and drinks.

Family-size steaks, pork tenderloins or a whole fish are great choices if you don't mind grilling once your guests have arrived. But, if you prefer to have it all ready ahead, a cold supper of poached chicken or fish may be a better choice. For more ideas, check out our dinner on the deck.


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