As the weather heats up, it’s time to hone your hosting skills and gather your loved ones for a spectacular summer party. Serve your guests a summer to remember with the season’s hottest offerings in the new PC Insiders Report summer edition. It’s packed with the latest trending flavours and over 50 new PC products that you’ll find all over your social media feeds (and luckily, in your grocery aisles!). Armed with your grocery list filled with PC’s latest innovations, along with the successful soiree tips we’re sharing below, you’ll be guaranteed to impress your guests all season long.
President’s Choice
Prep Ahead With the Right Tools
Before you can even think about setting the table or firing up the grill, you need to start by making sure you have the tools needed for a successful and stress-free bash. That means ensuring that you have your essentials — like barbecue tools, propane, appropriate dishware and more — a few days ahead of your gathering. Whether you’re enjoying backyard brews or an intimate patio party, the PC Retro Patio Cooler is our pick for doing summer right — it can keep up to 110 canned bevvies and 26 pounds of ice cold for an unbeatable 48 hours. Talk about keeping the good times going! Prep all your tools by giving them a wash and slipping them into your cooler so they’re ready to go the day of.
Start Strong With Appetizers
While most folks think of the main event when it comes to summer party foods (and hey, we can’t say we don’t love a rack of ribs or a juicy burger), you should never discount the importance of a great summer appetizer spread. Save yourself the last-minute scramble and prep ahead so your apps are ready to go for when your guests arrive. This will free you up to mix and mingle before manning the grill for mains. Try veggie BBQ skewers that cook up in a flash or the PC Smokin’ Stampede Corn Ribs as a meatless appetizer. If you want to make your appy prep even easier, ask your guests to bring the chips and dip for some munchies with all the flavour and none of the fuss. Might we suggest PC World of Flavours Filipino Adobo Chicken Flavour Chips or pairing up the PC 4-Layer Loaded Pierogi Dip with rippled potato chips?
Know Your Sauces
There’s more to pairing than just wines when it comes to your next al fresco dining experience. Be sure to find the perfect sauce to complement whatever you’re cooking up. When it comes to finding that right saucy partner for your meats, taste is king, but there are some general rules to help make your choice easier. Sweeter tomato-based or creamy mustard barbecue sauces pair well with chicken and pork, while tangier vinegar-based sauces work well with lamb or beef. Get to know the full range of PC Barbecue Sauces and their match suggestions in the PC Insiders Report summer edition.
Related: Best Grilling Hacks for Beginners to Pros
President’s Choice
Take a Trip With International Flavours
Even if you’re staying close to home this summer, you can take your taste buds on a trip with trending flavours inspired by travels around the world. The brains behind the PC Insiders Report were inspired by the flavours of Filipino cuisine and wanted to create a line of foods to bring these flavours to the masses. Traditionally used in Filipino sweets, ube makes an unexpected appearance in burger lineups with the delightfully purple PC Ube Pandesal Buns. Classic flavours of chicken adobo are also hand-rolled into a crispy thin wrapper in the PC Filipino Chicken Adobo Lumpia.
President’s Choice
Elevate Beyond the Expected by Choosing Unique Mains
If you’re looking for an elevated menu, include some of these options in addition to the traditional fare like burgers and sausages. Perfect for summer grilling, the gochujang-spiced PC World of Flavours Korean-Style Beef Short Ribs make for a no-brainer addition to your lineup of meaty mains that we’re sure will be an instant hit. For seafood lovers, try the sweet and tangy PC Mango & Calamansi Citrus Raw Shrimp Skewers. Don’t forget the plant-based eaters by serving them PC Plant-Based Black Bean, Corn & Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers and PC Grilled Ready Veggie Eggplant.
Ensure You Have Inclusive Drink Options
Okay, so you’ve probably already stocked up on beer and wine, but don’t forget to serve some refreshing non-alcoholic options as well like the PC Blue Menu Calamansi Citrus & Strawberry Sparkling Water — a hydrating, alcohol-free option that’s perfect for a hot summer day. For a lighter twist on classic seasonal soda, offer your guests PC Orange Cream Soda Flavour Sparkling Water.
President’s Choice
End On a Sweet Note
Finally, don’t fumble the finish by forgetting a dessert to end the evening. While you can whip up your own, like an easy grilled pineapple or crostata starring summer fruits, we’re also fans of a frozen treat (because who doesn’t want to end a hot day with cold ice cream?). PC’s new line of bite-sized sweets might just overtake your freezer space once you come face-to-face with them in the grocery aisle. The PC Plant Based Peanut Butter Delights are the perfect pairing of chocolate and peanut butter. Finally, a delicious option that might just be your new favourite food mash-up is the PC Cookie Dough Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bites.