What Makes a Great Barbeque?

 As any other suburban resident I have been to many barbeques. Most of them are now forgotten but some of them remain in my memory.

What makes a BBQ stand out and become an extraordinary experience?

The company, of course. As my friend told me just yesterday, choosing the right combination of guests is an art form. They should all have motivation to talk to each other and make a conversation that goes mostly around the table and not in small groups. When everybody is chatting happily, you know it's a success.

The decor- It doesn't have to be fancy, but guests appreciate effort and aesthetics when they see it. It sets the mood to: I see you invested in me, so I'll invest my best effort to be a great guest at this event.

The drinks: From non- alcohol fruity drinks to pitchers with alcoholic mixtures, the name of the game is colorful and seasonal. Pull out the cooling cucumber, mint and watermelon or go with raspberries and peaches.

The food- Think about your guests when you choose the menu. Do your guests care about weight gain? If the answer is yes, include vegetables and light protein such as chicken and fish in the menu.

If they are young and hungry, go ahead and pull off your best burgers, and don't forget the french fries to keep those lonely burgers company. I also find that we all have our repertoire of things that we grill, and that every BBQ we grill those same foods and bore the hell out of our guests. Variety is the name of the game. You don't need to alter everything but change something. Make your guests wonder on their way to you what delicious food they are going to eat this time.

My favorite imaginary BBQ has a lot of Mediterranean influences. There has to be a long table filled with lots of food and the feast has to take hours. If there is a meal with guests that I consider a failure, it's the one where the food is laid on the table, everyone is eating quickly, and in about 40 minutes everyone is full and ready for desert. Not on my watch! Imagine lots of small plates filled with colorful, seasonal dips, spreads, cheeses, vegetables with foccacia, pita bread and crackers to accompany them.

Think antipasti or tapas and you'll get the picture. Low-percentage alcohol is poured in glasses or fruit smoothies to the healthier of us.

After everyone is a bit happier, not crazy-hungry but not full yet, we start with the grilling. The aromas are in the air, the conversation is bubbly and in comes a second wave of grilled vegetables, salads, couscous, and potatoes. The meat is ready, and since a lot of thought was put in fitting it to the guests, everybody is happy.

Also it doesn't hurt to surprise them with a new marinade, sauce, kind of meat, anything that will just give the affair a little zing of the unexpected. The conversation comes in bursts and we have a one hour pause. Now we are ready to consider the last course.

Last but not least: Ice coffee, mint tea and cold watermelon, and fruit salad. I love cakes but when you had so much to eat I feel that fruit is the way to go.

Everybody is now glowing with sugar fix but not feeling guilty because it's just cold fruit.

they say goodbye and I go on feeling that friends are amazing to have and host.

My next post will be all about BBQ food, and how to make it unforgettable. Join me and get some recipes to creat your own vision of an enjoyable barbeque.