Three Easy Food Ideas for Summer Gatherings

Many busy people would love to entertain in summer but have no or very little time.  Today we offer 3 easy food ideas for summer gatherings that require very little time but are stylish and that guests will love.

Loco for Skewers

Skewers are easy and fun.  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Buy a variety of gourmet or artisan sausages--the cured or smoked kind--and maybe some prosciutto or jamón serrano.  Just spear one or two pieces of sausage on a skewer or cocktail pick, and thread the long slices of prosciutto/j.s. on skewer sticks.  Add cherry tomatoes and/or fresh mozzarella balls to the skewers if you wish, or serve them alongside the skewers.  With a good wine or beer pairing (and increasingly we're seeing pairings of both at events, which we think is great), you've nailed it! Serve.

Same idea, but make it interactive--put out the skewer ingredients in bowls for guests to build their own skewers.  You can add items like marinated mushrooms, cooked or grilled shrimp or chicken, other types of cheese in cubes, olives, even fruit pieces.  Or not; if you're pressed for time, stick with things that don't need cooking.  The fun lies in making your own skewers, not in a gazillion ingredients.

Same skewer idea, but serve a nice salad or cold soup alongside--If no time: buy an organic salad mix, local cherry or tear tomatoes, and a quality vinaigrette.  If you have a little more time: make your own salad and buy the vinaigrette or make it; or look online for cold blender soup recipes you can make in 15 minutes or less, seriously! Our cold summer blender soups are VERY popular with our clients, especially as shooters (BTW, we buy the shooter, or schnapps, glasses at a very reasonable price at IKEA).  No desire or time to buy shooter glasses? No worries! Serve the cold soup in mugs or or even drinking glasses, filled halfway or 1/3 of the way. Or paper cups, preferably of the recyclable paper type.  We lay out the soup glasses on a tray or the client's counter or island and everyone likes it because it's fun, different, tasty, and refreshing in summer's heat.

So summery! And you hardly spent any time in the kitchen.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077