What We Learned from Our Summer Party Last Night
Last night, Bon Appétit hosted its (annual! epic!) summer soiree. The location? New York City's Montmartre. The drinks? Cocktails, beer, and wine. The food? Oh, the food… But listen. You, too, can throw a stellar summer blockbuster. Grab that glass of rosé and read on for an education in ambitious barbecuing.
Jolie Ruben1/12Location, Location, Location
Listen, before the first drink is poured, you're going to need to suss out a fantastic location—if you've got a backyard (or rooftop—hey-o!), all the better. But we roll deep, so we needed a big space with plenty of different options. Montmartre has a spacious bar, a downstairs lounge, and a gorgeous patio.
Jolie Ruben2/12Think Beyond the Playlist
You already know music's a must (you do know that, right?), but consider putting aside your Spotify "casual get-together" playlist. We know you've painstakingly curated it, but splurging on a band will make things super special. We went with The Amigos because we say yes to "foot-stomping, accordion-infused Americana music blending folk-rock, zydeco/cajun, and hot jazz."
Jolie Ruben3/12Keep Their Options Open
Wine is great. Beer is great. Cocktails are great! So definitely offer all three; you never know what your guests are going to feel like. Montmartre featured two special cocktails, a Model Tea Collins (Get it?) and a Ginger Baker Old Fashioned. **
To make the Model Tea Collins:
2 oz. cucumber-verbena-infused Ford’s Gin
3/4 oz. lemon
3/4 oz. simple syrupPour ingredients over ice in a Collins glass; top with club soda; stir. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.
* This recipe was not tested by the Bon Appétit test kitchen
Jolie Ruben4/12Pro Move: The Magnum
It's summer, therefore rosé. Descartes said that, right? Anyway, you're going to be pouring a lot of the lovely pink stuff, so invest in a big bottle. (Or, even better, a lot of big bottles.) And hey, if you need a little rosé inspiration, we've got it right here.
Jolie Ruben5/12Attack the Snacks
Sure, you'll be grilling. But before the meat comes off the barbecue, your guests are going to be hungry. Make a few hors d'oeuvres that require minimal prep time—or that you can prepare in advance. We loved these grilled oysters with green garlic butter and piment d'espelette.
Jolie Ruben6/12Make It Taste Like Summer
Master a basic beignet recipe, and swap out the fillings with whatever's fresh and in season. The tender asparagus in these guys had everyone scrambling for more.
Jolie Ruben7/12Everyone Loves Hardcore Prawn
Shrimp have become a kind of default party food, but they can still be awesome if you get serious: These were smoked, then dotted with an avocado-horseradish mousse and burnt tomato coulis.
Jolie Ruben8/12Set the Scene
Well, hello there. Nothing says "Welcome to my party—you're about to have an epic time" quite like a couple of roast pigs' heads.
We're kidding, but only sort of.
Jolie Ruben9/12Give Them Something to Talk About
Your guests will mingle, connect, and network all by themselves. But offering a little entertainment to grease the wheels and break the ice definitely doesn't hurt. Think beyond charades (please think beyond charades) and get creative. For our party, The Bumbys did what they do best, which is offer a "fair and honest appraisal" of guests' appearances. "There’s a mystical side to you," read one of the typewritten notecards they handed out. "You’ve been intimately acquainted with Fleetwood Mac’s Runours [sic] since f—ing birth."
Jolie Ruben10/12The Appeal of Meat Is Timeless
Ah, the main event: The meat. We offered not one, not two, but three types of meat: grilled leg of lamb served taco-style, but in a crêpe; thick, grilled rib eyes with Stubb's spicy barbecue sauce; and crackly-skinned, sour-orange-and-thyme-brined suckling pig.
If you've got a crowd coming—and you're fabulous, so we're sure you do—don't waste hours forming individual burger patties. Go big with lamb legs, pork shoulders, massive steak, or whole pigs. Or, heck, all of the above.
Instagram, Elizabeth Jaime11/12Step Into the Light
Start the festivities in the afternoon or early evening, when there's still some natural light—it'll keep the atmosphere from getting too debaucherous too early (don't worry, that part still comes later).
Instagram, coluhenry12/12The Most Important Lesson of All
For a truly memorable barbecue, here's one last tip as demonstrated by Bon Appétit's Alison Roman and Colu Henry: Always, always, always invite your very best friends. **
