How to host a summer party the Fitzbillies way
With the true British Summertime having arrived, what better way to embrace it than enjoying the great outdoors with friends and family and, of course, fantastic food. Whether it’s in your garden, a park or at the seaside, it’s the perfect time to shake out those picnic blankets and get the party started.
But what is a summer gathering without a great selection of tasty sweet and savoury treats? We’ve pulled together some of our favourite menu ideas to provide inspiration for the perfect spread, most of which you can find at local independent bakeries.
The Savouries:
- Sausage rolls: Always a firm favourite, make them smaller to create bite size morsels or supersize them for a more filling snack.
- Savoury tart: There are infinite ways to vary a tart or quiche but it's worth remembering this simple rule; most tarts work well with one main vegetable, one aromatic element and one cheese filling. Our favourite combination is onion, marjoram & goats’ cheese.
- A selection of finger sandwiches: Smoked salmon on malted brown bread or cucumber & cream cheese on white bread are always a staple at our garden parties.
- Salad: An easy way to make use of those vegetables in your garden or fridge and a great accompaniment to any savoury staple. At Fitzbillies we have our Cajun marinated chicken breast served with mango mayonnaise dressing on a bed of house salad with sourdough croutons.
Sweet treats:
- Brownies: Everyone loves a brownie, but why not enhance the taste further with flavours such as salted caramel or double dark chocolate.
- Shortbread: A classic biscuit that is perfect to dunk in your tea, so simple to make or to buy.
- Macarons: Coordinate your party theme with a colourful tray of macaroons, a small treat to satisfy that sweet craving.
Fancy cakes:
Everyone loves cake, but which flavour to serve? Why not impress your guests with a selection of mini loaf cakes such as lemon, chocolate, carrot, or red velvet? Or if you want to add even more flavour to your summer spread try mixing combinations together such as a vanilla cake with raspberry filling and icing, or a lemon cake with fresh berries as filling or decoration.
Every party needs a show stopping centrepiece, so why not wow your guests with a macaron tower where the biggest challenge will be deciding how many tiers to include!
Have you seen our recipe blogs? Take a look at our shortbread blog for a step-by-step guide on how to make your own.
Or why not buy our book to always have the recipes close to you.