Barbecue time
It’s quite a logistical exercise organizing a barbecue for 36 people, but there was a summer conference on and I wanted to host something on the first evening so the conferees could meet and mix with each other. I used my big domed barbecue, plus a small one I brought back long ago from the Florida Keys, and added a family size disposable one from the supermarket. That would give enough cooking space.
For the food I laid in 36 ready-made beef quarter pounders, plus a few I made myself from fresh minced lamb. I provided a mix of 80 sausages, 24 jumbo franks and the rest made up of Sainsbury’s ‘Butcher’s Choice’ beef or pork, with a few Toulouse sausages as well. I did not forget the sauces, providing ketchup, barbecue sauce and French’s mustard. I made up a big bowl of salad with chopped iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, purple onion, black, green and stuffed olives, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped mixed nuts and pecans. I left out anchovies so it would be suitable for vegetarians, and put out a big block of cheese for them.
I needed volunteers to help carry all this to the barbecue site, complete with a table, a few chairs and all the cooking equipment. There were also paper plates and bowls, plus napkins, cutlery, and plastic cups. I provided boxed wine plus orange juice and soft drinks. There were 2 boxes of First Cape pinotage/shiraz blend, one of First Cape rosé, and two of Fern Bay New Zealand sauvignon blanc.
It all went smoothly, and thanks to a rota of student volunteers, I did no cooking myself, but enjoyed the barbecue instead. The threatened rain did not appear, and we even had a little food and drink left over for another day.