By Karen Kirk
July 2024
Celebrate Canada Day and all your special occasions this summer with these 8 simple tips for a fun stress-free gathering with family and friends.
The most important thing to remember when preparing for any summertime celebration is to keep things as simple as possible with advanced planning and preparation. Typically, Canada Day is the big kick off long weekend of the summer with lots of people, food, drinks and fun. It’s our first big outdoor event of the summer so it has to be special.
As a member of a large family, I’ve discovered over the years that there are some simple ways to help make any large gathering less stressful for both the host and their guests. It doesn’t happen unless everyone pitches in and contributes to the event by taking ownership of a specific task to ensure things run smoothly and everyone is able to enjoy themselves on the day.
Here are my tips and ideas that can be adapted to any special occasion, large or small, inside or out, anytime of the year. Let’s get the summer party season started on Canada Day!
1.
Prepare as much as you can in advance. Thermador offers a wide range of fridge and freezer options including the new Freedom®Built-in French Door Bottom Freezer, offering plenty of space to chill and freeze everything on your party menu.
2.
Encourage guests to serve themselves. Thermador’s undercounter wine fridges and combo fridge and freezer drawers offer kids and guests quick access to drinks, cool treats, and appetizers keeping without having to rummage through the main kitchen fridge.
3.
Make whatever you can ahead of time with the help of your family and friends. Thermador’s high-performance ranges and rangetops with grill and griddle accessories offer the capacity and efficiency to pre-cook your entire menu ahead of time. It’s quick and easy to warm it all up in the microwave, warming drawer or oven as needed on the big day.
4.
Everyone loves to dine outdoors in the summer whenever possible. Create a comfortable, UV and weather protected dining area on the patio with easy access to the kitchen.
Patio set, Crate and Barrel
5.
Serving trays with deep sides and handles are a must for taking dishes, glassware, food, and drinks to and from the kitchen to the outdoor dining area. Be sure to have several on hand so everyone can grab a tray for serving and help clear the table at the end of the meal.
Crate and Barrel
6.
Invest in shatter-resistant tabletop essentials to alleviate any worries about breakage of your favourite dishes or glassware when dining outdoors. Dishwasher-safe Audley bamboo and melamine dinnerware and Vasco gray acrylic drinking glasses from Crate and Barrel
7.
Every successful celebration ends with a favourite barista-style coffee and a delicious dessert. Thermador’s Built-In Coffee Machine is always ready for your guests’ orders.
8.
Every home chef’s lifesaver is a high-performance quiet dishwasher and for those who love to entertain, two are always better than one. Thermador Star Sapphire® Dishwasher.
