No matter what your political views entail or where your relatives hailed from, the Fourth of July is a wonderful day to celebrate patriotism and unity. And on top of that, it's a great reason to take off from work and celebrate with friends. In order to ensure it's the most relaxing and enjoyable experience it can be, keep this How To in mind when planning your much needed annual holiday.
Instructions
- 1
Make a specialty drink and give it a cute name. Call it The Flag and give one to all of your friends to wave proudly. To make it, mix vodka with pomegranate juice (red drinks only at outside events on the Fourth) and soda to achieve flavor and punch. Add floating blueberries to complete the red, white and blue theme of the holiday.
2Keep the American colors flowing into the food as well. Throw together some red and blue corn tortilla chips and top them off with a complimentary avocado dip. Keep small additions like this in mind; the Fourth is a holiday that calls for finger foods. This concoction requires little preparation, but goes a long way in keeping the celebration festive and fun for your friends.
3Spice up your regular barbecue. Make Kobe beef dogs instead of regular hot dogs. They may be a little pricier, but remember, it's a special occasion. It's OK to splurge! Serve with several different types of mustard: cranberry mustard, honey mustard, yellow mustard and grain. Stay health conscious by preparing a healthier burger. Use ground turkey meat and mix in fresh herbs and feta or your favorite cheese. Your friends may not be able to pick up on the difference, but they will undoubtedly appreciate your seemingly new grilling expertise. You can make it an even classier affair at the grill if you're up for the challenge. Make a gourmet burger using salmon or tuna and your favorite herbs and spices. Dill or Asian is great for salmon and Asian is great for tuna. Order the ground fish from your fishmonger. Top with wasabi or dill mayonnaise and serve on great brioche or whole grain buns. Who ever said you couldn't integrate some cultural cuisine into an American affair?
4Give 'em something fresh. Make a platter of rainbow fruit skewers. Layer red, orange, yellow and green fruit (strawberries or watermelon, mango, pineapple, and kiwi) on skewers and serve on a platter covered with blueberries. The color from the fruit adds to the festivity, and the taste of the skewers lends to the feeling of a true summer celebration.
5Don't forget dessert! Serve lemon sorbet in scooped out lemons (cut off the bottom of the lemons so they stand up straight, cut in half, scoop inside and fill with sorbet using an ice cream scoop). Make sure to keep them in the freezer until you bring them out, so they are totally solid. Creativity is the keyword here. The process is simple, but the novelty of the dessert reminds you and your friends that this isn't just another dip into the ice cream carton.
6Don't let the fun end there, though. Make Margarita ice cubes so that when you serve Margaritas you can keep them cold without diluting them. Do the same with iced coffee and you'll avoid the few typical downsides of having some summer fun in the sun.
