It’s Bank Holiday Barbeque Time!

Bank Holiday BBQ Ideas

Summer is in full swing, the forecast is red-hot sun (with scattered showers!), the garden is green and the smell of the neighbour’s barbeque is wafting over your fence. It’s that time of year again; time to dust off the old barbeque for its annual airing. What better time than Bank Holiday Monday? With the roads and airports chock-a-block with red-faced motorists and holiday makers, get away from it all and take the time out to relax in the garden, throw a party and sizzle-up some bangers with friends.

Here at drinkstuff we have a mind-boggling array of barbeques and summer party accessories . Whether you’re looking for bbq accessories, disposable drinkware, party plates or napkins right up to cocktail sets and Inflatable Hot-tubs! We’ve also included a few recipes and Ideas but if you need a comprehensive collection of cocktail recipes then check out our cocktail books which are jam-packed with ideas for creating your own concoctions!

Food Inspiration

Food is quite rightly the star guest at any barbeque. Nothing can beat the smell of char-grilled meat filling the summer air. With so many choices available at the supermarket it can be easy to settle for pre-made burgers and sausages but if you fancy trying your hand at making your own burgers, it couldn’t be simpler with the Swift Burger Press . Mix up your mince and chosen ingredients in a bowl and spoon into the mould and press down to create your own authentic professional-looking home-made burgers!

Of course, barbeques aren’t limited to burgers and sausages. Be adventurous, try Lamb, Pork Chops or Steak and marinade your meat the night before. Also fish and shellfish are delicious barbequed and don’t forget old favourites like corn-on-the-cob, salads and nibbles like olives and nuts.

If you’re looking for inspiration; here’s a tried and tested marinade recipe from the drinkstuff team. It’s very simple to put together, using some basic food cupboard ingredients:

Smokey BBQ Marinade

300ml Barbeque Sauce
1 Onion, chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tsps Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Chilli Powder
4 Tbsps of Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Worcester Sauce
2 Tbsps Tomato Puree
1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar

This tasty and easy marinade is great for white meats such as chicken and pork, although it works just as well with Beef Steak and Fish. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and add your chosen meat. Ensure that the marinade is covering the meat, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight before cooking as normal on your barbeque. Once your meat is cooked, serve it up with a bowl of fresh salad, cous-cous or even more meat!

For the presentation conscious our Royal Genware Square Plates are ideal for presenting a plate of food a chef would be proud of! For a whole range of tableware and presentation ideas check out our ever-expanding selection of tableware and crockery for more inspiration.

Drinks all round!

Drink selection is a vital part to any gathering of friends, why not throw a BBQ party with a twist and greet your guests with a tray of refreshing Mojitos or a bowl of homemade punch?
Children and designated drivers should never be left out so don’t forget to include a non-alcoholic punch or have a blender on-hand to wizz-up some ice-cream smoothies or fruit-based cocktails. Make sure you have the right glass for the job though; cocktails aren’t just about mixing drinks together it’s about the presentation too!

Another party essential which is a firm favourite here at drinkstuff towers are the Stack Cups . These ingenious lightweight cups have a hollow handle which allows them to be stacked together for easy carrying. They’re perfect for dishing out a round of cold beers when your free-hands are limited!

If you want to save on washing-up we now have a range of bio-degradable plastic cups and recycled napkins to minimise any harmful fallout from your party. Because let’s face it; who wants to be washing up after a few Sangrias!?

We’ve included a couple of our favourite summer cocktail recipes for you. For non-alcoholic ice-cream shakes just swap the Vodka, Baileys and Kahlua for flavoured Crusha or Nesquick, the kids will love it!

Summer Ice Cream Alco-Shakes (Makes 4)

4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
50ml Vodka
100ml Bailey’s irish Cream
50ml Kahlua
300ml Milk
In a blender or food-processor add all of the ingredients and simply wiz them together until they are blended into a smooth drink. Serve in iced hurricane cocktail glasses with a straw. For extra decadence top with a generous helping of whipped cream!

Sangria (courtesy of the ultimate bar book )

2 Lemons, sliced
2 Peaches, pitted and sliced
120ml Fresh lemon juice
90ml Licor 43 (If available)
75g Superfine sugar
75cl of red wine (Rioja is ideal)
Soda to top up

Combine the lemon and peach slices in a large glass pitcher . Add the lemon juice, Licor 43 and sugar, stirring to combine. Gently stir in the wine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, add the soda, stirring gently. Slowly pour into ice-filled wine goblets allowing some of the fruit to fall into the glasses.

Licor 43 is an ancient Spanish liqueur which has a distinctive vanilla and citrus twang. It’s not readily available in the supermarket and unless you spend a lot of time hopping over to Spain you’ll rarely see it. However several online stockists do supply to the UK for a reasonable price.

If you want to, you can replace the Licor 43 with another fruity liqueur such as Cointreau, Pimms or Flavoured Vodka.

We hope you take the time to relax and enjoy your summer barbeque. After all it’s the last Bank Holiday until Christmas! One last point to note is of course to drink safely and be careful handling your barbeque, don’t over-stock your coals or go mad with the lighter fluid, nobody wants to eat burnt sausages or worse; spend bank holiday in A&E!

The drinkstuff blog
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