It’s Monday- three days away from one of the biggest annual celebrations in our country, Canada Day! A little break from the norm, to spend some time with my family and friends. Of course, there are the parties and the multitude of pride-induced events happening around our great cities and towns but for a lot of Canadians (and visitors to our home and native land) the most traditional way to spend July 1st is in the sun, havin’ an enormous BBQ (either at the beach or in the backyard).

I’ll get to the food shortly but the usual essentials are sunglasses, swimsuits and towels (for the lake/pool/sprinkler), flying discs, beach balls or/and footballs, bubble blowers and solution, jump ropes (for double-dutch), as well as board games checkers, or cards. Prepare for never having a dull moment.

From past experience, as the day goes by, it just seems to get more and more wild. Usually a good mix of music will do that. Getting a DJ on Canada Day isn’t easy, or for everyone, so make sure your music player is updated with new and classic summer tunes. Hit the ‘Play’ button and the rest is for the many roaming cameras to capture. And if no one’s dancing, than it isn’t a party. I’m just sayin’.

Before getting into food and the broadcasting business, I studied and worked in Design. Making a space look great is key. Mood is everything (after “location, location”). If you want to keep the theme of Canada Day in the mix without being blatantly obvious, outfit your table(s) with red and white-coloured items such as: gingham tablecloths, linens instead of napkins, tulips or a variety of flowers for a centerpiece, or glasses that might have maple leaf etchings. Also, use wooden utensils and tableware, instead of plastic or coated-paper dishware. They look nicer and they’re better for the environment (just wash and re-use).

Once the sun goes down, outdoor lighting is both functional and festive. Tables should be lit with kerosene lanterns; easy to fill and light, lanterns provide the same shimmering glow as candles but unlike candles, they won’t blow out. Lanterns can also be set down or hung by their handles. Truthfully, it’s one day in the year, don’t be afraid to go all out.

Now that we’ve setup the atmosphere, and without further delay- FOOD!

Having bread on hand is so necessary. Mixing it up is just as important. Seek out options like assorted rolls and butter (whole wheat, mini loafs or pumpernickel), garlic bread (plain or with cheese), bruschetta, focacchia bread, or pizza bread with garlic, rosemary and olive oil.

I like to ask my guests to bring their own poultry, seafood, meat, veal, lamb or pork to grill. It’s important that everyone have exactly what they want. The day’s too short not to have utter and complete satisfaction.

Furthermore, I recommend asking that they bring a side dish such as: a grilled vegetable medley (with red, green and yellow peppers, red onions, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, baby carrots), roasted potatoes with parsley garlic butter, chilled poached and decorated sides of salmon with dill sauce, creamed spinach stuffed tomatoes, or platters of deviled eggs and herb cheese in cherry tomatoes. Simple, healthy, and delicious. Great extras are platters with fruits and vegetables.

You can never have too much food at a cookout!

When it comes to keeping cool, look to great drinks. Whip up a pitcher of icy Margaritas or Tangy Lemonade for guests. Other great options are: Sidecar, Kir Royales, Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Classic Caipirinha, Mojito, Key Lime Daiquiri, White Russian, Salty Dog, or Pisco Punch. Smoothies are great too but fresh fruit can go bad quickly in the heat, so freeze any extra-ripe berries or fruit -in advance- to blend into smoothies. Remember, beer’s a staple- hurray beer! For satisfying frosty choices, pick up variety packs created by Canadian breweries- always keep it Canuck on the big day.

Now, if you choose not to use your barbecue as part of the equation, make an assortment of sandwiches, chili, pasta salads, guacamole, etc… You can also try snacks such as cereal mix with olive oil and parmesan, chili-lime popcorn, spicy-and-sweet popcorn, ginger scented pecans, chili-lime cashews, spiced walnuts, rosemary roasted nuts, tamari and maple-roasted almonds, parmesan straws, waffle chips, salt and vinegar potato chips, spicy-sweet pretzel mix, salsa trio and tortilla chips, picholine olives with roasted garlic and red onion. The list could go on but simplicity and flavour are the key.

Dessert? Try freshly sliced fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, seedless green grapes, seedless red grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), mixed with vanilla-flavoured yogurt and a dash of pure 100% Canadian maple syrup or honey. It’s light, refreshing and perfect for chillaxin’ on the back porch. Also make sure you have a cooler of ice nearby to store anything with dairy products (and beer).

What about you? How do you spend Canada Day? Any ideas you’d like to share? We want to hear about them!

Richard “Grillmaster Caz” Cazeau

Keywords : BBQ, Canada Day, celebrations, picnics

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