Lets go Al Fresco!

With all the hot weather forecast for the next few days we will be dusting off our BBQ, wiping down the outdoor furniture and partaking in some Al Fresco dining. Al Fresco does not have to mean you have to cook and eat outdoors; you could just take advantage of the longer evenings and enjoy your supper with a glass of wine outside. Some good quality outdoor furniture is of course essential, we love the funky bean bags and hammocks at Fat Boy.The most important element of course is the food! Many of your favourite recipes can be adapted to suit the warmer weather so there is less cook time and preparation (no one wants to work in a hot kitchen for hours on end when it is 30°C outside). For example if your recipe calls for roast potatoes then why not use new potatoes instead, or serve salad as a side dish rather than cooked vegetables. Roast duck legs do have a long cook time but it is at a low temperature and when they are done you can shred over a salad for a simple yet delicious meal. Sprinkle some Chinese five spice over them first for an Oriental twist. We have a range of Al Fresco ideas on our recipe page. Click here to have a look.

For a truly Al Fresco dining experience then a BBQ is a must, however you do not need to stick to sausages and burgers which can get a bit boring and more often than not burnt! Gressingham’s range of Spatchcock poussin products are ideal for the BBQ and go perfectly with chargrilled vegetables and salad. To cook them on the BBQ we recommend that you wrap the poussin in kitchen foil keeping it flat. Cook over a medium heat for 25 minutes, then remove from the foil and cook for 5-10 minutes longer, turning often.

A good meal is not complete without a delicious dessert to round things off. For a really simple BBQ dessert get some bananas, cut slits in the skin and stuff with chocolate buttons and nuts, wrap in foil and place in the BBQ for 30 minutes for a gooey, chocolatey, bannanary dessert. Serve with ice cream, crème fraiche or just as they are. We have also found some yummy ice cream recipes from food blogger Anyonita Nibbles. Click here to check them out.

We hope you will enjoy eating Al Fresco as much as we do, enjoy the sunny weather while it lasts!

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