Summertime means party time! And for all of the fun of an outdoor party, we know there's also a lot of work. If the stress of organizing a get-together is keeping you from hosting this year, take a look at our Four Rules of Summer Party Prep. Like most food rules, these are flexible, breakable, and very customizable, but are also tried-and-true tips from the pros who know.
1. No cutting boards on party day.
Make this your food-prep goal. With few exceptions (maybe fish and shellfish), most foods for a casual party can be fabricated ahead of time. That means cubing chicken for skewers, peeling shrimp, and chopping veggies.
You don’t have to assemble every finished dish (though, bonus points if you can), but you can certainly have individual ingredient ready to cook or mix at party time. Pasta salads, green salads, fruit garnish for cocktails, charcuterie boards—you name it, you can chop it all up the day before. The key is to make sure everything is wrapped nice and tight, stored at the appropriate temperature. Sliced veggies benefit from a damp paper towel tucked into any bag or container.
2. Today’s Pie is Yesterday’s Project!
Desserts and baking projects will almost always take longer than you expect, so resist the temptation to make them on the morning of your party. A freshly baked pie won’t be set and ready to slice for hours. Hot cake layers can take half a day to fully cool before you can frost them. Most baked goods are just as delicious the day after you bake them, as long as they’re covered and stored appropriately. Be sure to remove any desserts from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving to help come to room temperature, and add whipped creams and sauces right before serving.
Did you know you can even pre-scoop ice cream? Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay scoops of ice cream in rows. Freeze the scoops on the baking sheet, and use tongs to transfer them to cups or plates at dessert time. You would be surprised how much effort this saves on party day!
3. Leave Something to the Experts
Homemade isn’t always best. After all, there are CIA-trained chefs across the country selling delicious food made with expertise and high-quality tools and ingredients. If your favorite restaurant makes the world’s best potato salad, there’s no shame in paying them to make it so you don’t have to. Consider picking one part of your menu and outsourcing it, if you can.
Post-COVID restrictions, many local restaurants have expanded their to-go offerings, and you may be able to buy pitchers of good quality cocktails, dips and snacks, and even whole smoked briskets—maybe even for delivery! If you’re ordering a dish with multiple components, chat with a manager. They may be able to package the items in a way that is more convenient for you, like a make-your-own taco spread instead of twenty prepared tacos.
4. Keep it Cool
A good rule of thumb for a big summer party is at least a 1:2 ratio for hot to cold food. That means for every hot dish you are planning to serve, you should also have two cold/room temperature dishes. (One exception to this rule is the all-cold spread—a summertime favorite.)
This is not a culinary rule about balance and contrasts in temperature (though, sure!), but a work-smarter-not-harder rule. Even if it’s just being reheated, a warm dish requires more of your attention and time (not to mention those trips inside to reheat cold cheese dips!), when you should be enjoying time with your friends and family.
