Fire Up the BBQ

Tips for a successful outdoor get-together

If you enjoy entertaining and sharing a meal with friends while delighting in the warm sunshine, then you will love preparing this barbecue.

Planning is often the key to keeping stress levels in check.

7 days ahead

Inform your neighbours about the upcoming party
Take stock of how many chairs, folding tables, reusable plates and cutlery, napkins and garbage bags you have
Plan the menu
Make a list of the ingredients you have in your pantry
Buy wine, beer, soft drinks, fruit juices, frozen pops, potato chips, condiments and sauces (mustards, ketchup, olives, salsa, pesto, garlic sauce and marinades)

4 days ahead

Select the music for your party
Make a list of fresh foods and bakery items you need, and buy them

2 days ahead

Plan your meal preparation
Mow the lawn
Clean the garden or patio and the grill

The day before

Prepare salads without the vinaigrette
Prepare marinades and sauces
Prepare fruits and vegetables and refrigerate
Stock up on ice cubes or prepare some yourself
Wash and slice your favourite citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges)

The day of the party

Prepare sangria and summer fruit punches
Decorate the area and set up tables and chairs
Place small bowls of lemon water on the table if you are serving foods best eaten with fingers
Marinate meats for 2-3 hours before cooking
Light the barbecue at least 30 minutes before you are ready to start grilling
Turn on the music before the party so that when the guests arrive, the ambience is already set

Delicious Drinks

Metro invites you to toast with these four delicious drink recipes. Raise your glass to originality!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2 parts Merit Selection cranberry and raspberry cocktail
1 part Merit Selection carbonated lemon-flavoured natural mineral water
Fresh whole mint leaves to taste

Chill glasses in the freezer for 1 hour before preparing this delicious cocktail.

In a pitcher, combine the cocktail and mineral water. Mix. Pour into chilled glasses, garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.

A Cool Sip of Iced Tea

Merit Selection iced tea
Merit Selection concentrated lemon juice to taste
3 sticks of cinnamon
1 lemon, sliced

In a pitcher, mix the iced tea and concentrated lemon juice. Add the cinnamon sticks, lemon slices and ice cubes.

Sangria

26 oz. (750 mL) bottle of dry red wine
1/2 cup (125 mL) Grand Marnier (or Cointreau)
1 cup (250 mL) Merit Selection cranberry and pear drink
1/2 cup (125 mL) Merit Selection orange juice
Ground cinnamon, to taste
Ground nutmeg, to taste
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced

In a large punch bowl, combine all the ingredients. Pour into cups and enjoy.

Coolers

1 12 oz. (341 mL) bottle of Rio Grande, Treebu or Irresistible beer
1 13 oz. (355 mL) bottle of Merit Selection lemon soft drink

In a large glass, combine 2/3 beer and 1/3 lemon soft drink.

Easy appetizers

Serve the following tasty toppings on crackers, cucumbers or slices of toasted French bread.

Maritime Tang

Your choice of Merit Selection crackers
Irresistible of Merit Selection seafood sauce
Tin of Irresistible of Merit Selection smoked mussels, drained
Fresh coriander leaf flakes
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

On each cracker, spread a bit of seafood sauce, top with 1 mussel, sprinkle with coriander and a few drops of lemon juice.

Smoked Oyster Treat

1 stick of French bread, sliced
1 large garlic clove, peeled
Merit Selection cream cheese
Tin of Irresistible of Merit Selection smoked oysters, drained
Merit Selection green olives, sliced
Merit Selection black olives, sliced

Toast the bread slices. Lightly rub with garlic. On each piece of toast, spread cream cheese, top with an oyster and garnish with olive slices.

Fresh Tidbits

1 large cucumber, unpeeled, washed
Merit Selection sour cream
A few slices of Irresistible of Merit Selection Black Forest-style smoked Atlantic salmon
Drained capers, to taste

Run the teeth of a fork along the length of the cucumber to create ridges in the peel. Then slice the cucumber. Top with sour cream, a piece of smoked salmon and a few capers.

Season Your Summer

Merit Selection salad dressings can enhance the taste of your salads, grilled vegetables, dips and marinades. A dash of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar dressing is a guaranteed hit on grilled vegetables. Or try using Sun-dried Tomato and Oregano dressing in a couscous salad, or add Italian dressing to a pasta salad.

You can also use our salad dressings to make a dip. Mixing a bit of French or Californian dressing into your favourite seafood sauce makes a great dip for fried squid or shrimp. Mixing Bacon Ranch or Maple Dijon with mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream. They make excellent dips for chips, raw veggies, ribs or chicken nuggets.

Merit Selection Burgers

Quick-frozen and ready to grill, tender and tasty Merit Selection Burgers will make your life a whole lot easier. There are four different varieties that go straight from the freezer to the grill: All-Swiss All-Bacon Burger; Burger Supreme; Classic Brie Burger; and Mediterranean Burger.

Sweet Barbecued Delights

Even dessert can be prepared on the barbecue. Here are two recipes to try.

Fruit Brochettes

1Cut your favourite fruits—such as pineapples, bananas or apples—into large pieces and thread them onto a wooden skewer (pre-soaked in lukewarm water for 10 minutes).

2Baste with a mixture of liquid Merit Selection honey and vanilla.

3Brown lightly on the barbecue for a few minutes and serve with Merit Selection ice cream.

Bananas in a Foil Bundle

1Make a shallow cut on the top of the bananas.

2Pour maple syrup or Merit Selection honey on them. For your older guests, you can also add coffee liqueur.

3Sprinkle with nutmeg, then wrap in aluminum foil.

4Place the bundles on the barbecue for approx. 10 minutes. When you start to smell the sweet aroma, they're ready. Serve with Merit Selection ice cream.