Turn your backyard into a vacation dining destination
The weather will soon be nice enough to dine alfresco. With many travel restrictions still in place, why not set up your own backyard dining spot with a faraway destination as a theme for a brunch, lunch or dinner?
With the right table accessories, outdoor dining and serving ware, and some specialty food provisions, it’s easy to be transported to a favourite getaway destination — even if just for a few hours, and no passport needed!
SETTING THE TABLE
The table is the focal point for any meal, so setting the tone is of utmost importance. If you’re creating a rustic destination (think Tuscany), consider leaving an outdoor wood table bare of linens. For elegant dining and English getaway garden, cover your table with a linen or lace cloth.
I like to mix the flatware, dishes and glassware. Melamine-patterned dishes help to enhance a theme, while the flatware and glassware from inside help to create a class-act affair when dining outside.
As with inside dining, use
centrepieces and candles to set the mood on your outdoor dining table. Simple glass jars filled with garden cut flowers are perfect for a casual lunch, while taper candles in hurricane vases and low, elegant flower arrangements make for a fancy or romantic outdoor affair at night.
SETTING THE MENU
Fresh foods abundant in summer markets are reminiscent of well-known travel spots
where open-air markets filled with healthy ingredients are a way of life. Create themed menus based on regional destinations to add an authentic taste to your destination themed meals at home: think tomatoes, cucumbers and red onions in a Greek salad or simple Italian pizza toppings like arugula and sweet peppers.
For full flavour, I keep a selection of exotic spices, condiments and sauces to help
boost the getaway flavour factor. I love Tandoori spice for Indian grilled chicken, sweet chilli sauce for Thai-inspired salads and flavoured mustard (indigenous to Canada) for briskets — I even use it to add zing to a mayo-based potato summer salad.
SETTING THE BAR
Take me to a tiki bar and I am a happy man. Pina coladas, margaritas and other icy drinks are an excellent way to get a tropical vibe going in the backyard on a hot evening. For barware around the pool or in the hammock, consider shatterproof drinkware for safety — look for welldesigned specialty drinkware that looks like glass but is made of acrylic.
Want to show off? Set up your bar with drink garnishes like cherries, lemon and lime slices, sugar rims and, of course, every backyard resort bartender needs a pro-style drink mixer and martini shaker to create the frothiest of cold drinks to help beat the heat.
SETTING THE MOOD
Here are some other simple ways to transport you to your destination dinner party.
Music. Download music that is popular in the destination you are trying to evoke — Trinidadian drums or an elegant Venetian opera will set the mood. Even recorded sounds of tropical songbirds can create a daytime garden getaway feeling.
Costumes. Hand each diner a red bandana to jauntily tie around their neck like the gondoliers in Venice, floral leis for a Hawaiian luau or straw-brimmed hats for a sunny afternoon lunch in Mexico — don’t forget the SPF 50!