Summer outdoor parties bring friends together.
Every season of the year has a reason for a party, from New Year's in January to Christmas in December. Expand beyond the traditional holidays and celebrate Groundhog Day in February, the first day of spring in March and April Fool's day in April. Let the season set the menu for the party.
Spring
Spring means fresh asparagus, fiddleheads, lamb, sweet peas and baby lettuces. And that forms a perfect menu for any spring party. Blanch the asparagus and serve with a lemon tarragon vinaigrette. Fiddle heads aren't available everywhere and where they are they make a short appearance. Like asparagus they're young shoots but instead of being straight like asparagus, fiddleheads are curled. Serve steamed with browned butter. Serve the sweet peas lightly cooked in a nest of baby lettuces. Slow cooked lamb shanks are festive, don't take a lot of preparation and are budget friendly.
Summer
Summer is outdoor time. It's also time for humidity and heat. Chill out in the dog days of summer with a menu that is served cold. You'll keep the kitchen cool for the party and you won't get overheated doing the cooking. Try starters of cold soup such as gazpacho, creamy avocado or melon soup zapped up with a dash of hot sauce. Follow the soup with an assortment of cold vegetables and several dips. Barbara Kafka, the author of "Party Food," says that guests gravitate toward red dips. Try blending cooked red sweet peppers with olive and garlic. The entree could be as simple as cold fried chicken, as elegant as cold poached shellfish or as hearty as stuffed roast beef served at room temperature. For dessert, serve grownup ice cream sundaes with fresh fruit and splashes of fruit-flavored liqueurs.
Fall
Celebrate the bounty of fall with a harvest dinner. As the hostess you provide the entree. Of course there's turkey, which is a traditional autumn choice, but you might want to offer a rolled stuffed pork roast. It's not as difficult as it sounds if you have the butcher butterfly a pork loin roast. Lay it out flat. Layer on a mixture of bread crumbs, minced celery, onions and carrots and handful each of nuts and raisins. Roll it up and tie it with string, then roast. Each guest brings his favorite fall dish. Don't be shy; if a guest asks you want her to bring, give her a suggestion.
Winter
Lots of reasons lead to parties in the winter. Celebrate the first snowfall with a winter white party. All the food is white, from creamed cauliflower soup to poached chicken, fish or lobster, served with purees of parsnip and mashed potatoes and white chocolate mousse for dessert. If you'd like a little more color, choose beef Burgundy served with crusty bread, red cabbage cooked with orange juice and red wine and Brussels sprouts with walnuts and brown butter.
Tags: asparagus fiddleheads, baby lettuces, served with, Summer outdoor, sweet peas