Summer time... BBQs, picnics and

3, 2, 1…

summer is GO!

The sunshine has fi nally arrived and with it, we hope, relaxed restrictions and many venues reopening. After months of lockdown, customers will be looking for a good time. Make your venue THE place to go this summer for the best food, drinks and atmosphere

Get the BBQ fired up

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, then customers will likely be knocking your door down already. To adhere to Covid-19 restrictions (or just because you want more kitchen space), take your cooking outside by investing in a BBQ.

Make it an event

Put on special BBQ events every weekend and bank holiday (3 and 31 May). Take pre-bookings to manage numbers and your stock levels. If you want to really minimise waste, you could take pre-orders. Showcase your menu via social media, your website, in your window and on A-boards for passers-by.

Your menu should shine

Sausages and burgers are obviously a must, but a BBQ is so much more than this these days. Think large, juicy steaks, salmon, extravagant meat-free burgers and tempting side dishes.

25%

of Brits want to eat less meat

*Source: CGA’s BrandTrack

Plant-based BBQ food has really come into its own in recent years. Customers looking for a meat-free option don’t need to put up with bland bean burgers anymore! If you haven’t tried them already, look at Garden Gourmet Deluxe Burgers. They look, smell and taste just like beef patties. Make them really special with add-ons – veggie (or vegan) cheese, BBQ sauce and a tasty egg- and milk-free bun. tasty egg- and milk-free bun. Upgrade your sides and puds, rather than Upgrade your sides and puds, rather than relying on the same old green salad and relying on the same old green salad and bowls of ice cream. Sweetcorn cobs bowls of ice cream. Sweetcorn cobs drizzled with butter and a sprinkle of drizzled with butter and a sprinkle of chilli fl akes, a refreshing watermelon chilli fl akes, a refreshing watermelon salad and a sweet potato and spring salad and a sweet potato and spring onion salad would all be delicious. onion salad would all be delicious. Aim to make most of your side Aim to make most of your side dishes veggie or vegan so they are suitable for all customers. For desserts, choose simple options For desserts, choose simple options that can be prepped ahead of time and that can be prepped ahead of time and just cut up and served on the day. just cut up and served on the day. Cheesecakes, chocolate fudge cakes and cookie ice-cream sandwiches tick all the boxes.

Watermelon Salad

Pair this salad with some BBQ brisket and a chunk of corn bread. Get more American BBQ inspiration from Unilever’s guide: brws.it/usamore American BBQ inspiration from Unilever’s guide: brws.it/usa

Ingredients

• 800g watermelon • 1g salt • 5g mint leaves • 5g coriander leaves • 10g red chillies • 5g caster sugar • 20ml lime juice • 20ml lemon juice 20ml lemon juice

Method

1. Peel and dice the watermelon into 2cm cubes. Peel and dice the watermelon into 2cm cubes. 2. Place into a bowl and sprinkle over the salt. 3. Pick the mint and coriander leaves and add to the salad. Pick the mint and coriander leaves and add to the salad. 4. Add thinly sliced chilli to the bowl, with the sugar and juices. Add thinly sliced chilli to the bowl, with the sugar and juices. 5. Mix and place into serving bowl.

Serves 5

Côte de Boeuf

This sharing steak looks stunning. Get a photo of it on your social media and watch the orders come in… Prep the sauce in advance to save time, and gently reheat when needed.

Ingredients

• 800g côte de boeuf • Oil, for brushing • Cracked black pepper • Sea salt crystals

Method

For the sauce:

• Chopped shallots • Butter • Green peppercorns • 3 tbsp Bull’s-Eye Original BBQ sauce • 150ml double cream

Off er the powerful and peppery Crest Cabernet Shiraz Merlot with this punchy dish or a tasty beer

1. Get the BBQ smoking hot at +220C. 2. Allow the steaks to come to room temperature. 3. Ensure the surface of the steaks is dry. If not, use a little kitchen paper to remove excess moisture. 4. Season well with salt and pepper. 5. When you’re ready for cooking, brush the BBQ bars with a little oil and lay the steak on. 6. Cook for 3 mins on each side on a closed grill. 7. When you have reached your preferred degree of cooking, remove from the grill and wrap in baking paper for 5-10 mins. 8. While the steaks are resting, make the sauce. Sauté the shallots in butter, add peppercorns, Original

BBQ sauce and cream and simmer until thickened. Perfect match

Strawberry and Honeycomb Cheesecake with Crunchie Bits with Crunchie Bits

An extra-special cheesecake that’s sure to get repeat orders from customers.

Ingredients

• 200g digestive biscuits, crushed 200g digestive biscuits, crushed • 75g butter, melted • 200g Cadbury Crunchie Bits 200g Cadbury Crunchie Bits • 500g Philadelphia Original 500g Philadelphia Original • 100g Greek yogurt • 200ml whipping cream • 500g fresh strawberries • 100g icing sugar • 8g gelatine leaves

Method

1. Mix the biscuit crumbs and melted butter together and stir in 60g Cadbury Crunchie

Bits. Press fi rmly into the base of the 23cm springform tin. 2. Put the Philadelphia, yogurt and cream in a large bowl and whisk until thick and creamy. 3. Hull and roughly slice 400g of the strawberries and put into a blender with the icing sugar and blend to a purée. 4. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 mins. Place the soaked leaves in a small pan and melt over a very low heat.

Immediately stir the melted gelatine into the strawberry purée. 5. Whisk the purée into the cheesecake mixture and stir in 120g Crunchie Bits. Immediately spoon the mixture over the cheesecake base and chill for at least 4 hours to set. 6. Just before serving, remove the cheesecake from the tin and decorate with the remaining strawberries and Crunchie Bits. Grab a glass! See page 34 to fi nd new gin cocktail recipes

It’s time to celebrate all those occasions over the past year, which fell into the Covid-19 abyss. The lockdown birthdays, the engagements, the Friday night after-work drinks… Friday night after-work drinks…

All being well, as May/June arrive a sense of normality will be returning to pubs, restaurants and bars across the land. be returning to pubs, restaurants and bars across the land.

Crack open the bubbly

You had better get the bottles of fi zz ready. “If the vaccine roll-out progresses well and the On Premise [on-trade] can re-open smoothly, we may well see a major uplift in celebratory visits out – and that would bring excellent opportunities across the sparkling wine category,” says Mark Newton, CGA client director and wine category specialist.

Encourage customers to get into the spirit by off ering deals on your sparkling bottles. Off er a reduced-price bottle with a main course or do a deal – buy one glass and get one half price. Add some fi zzy cocktails to your bar list. Prosecco grapefruit spritz, anyone? Or the summer favourite, a peach Bellini?

36%

of people are looking to choose premium food and drinks when they go out

*Source: Heineken Consumer Sentiment Report, February 2021

Stock up on summer favourites

Pitchers of beer or icy cider work well for groups of six. Customers will love the feel-good factor of getting a deal, too. Jugs of cocktails will also go down well.

Rosé wine is an essential for any summer, but especially at the moment with sales booming in retail. To accompany a BBQ spread or tapas-inspired Mediterranean meal, off er customers Mountain Range Rosé. This beautiful wine will whisk customers off to sunny climes with its intense red fruit aromas of cherries and strawberries.

Alfresco picnics

A picnic might traditionally be a meal prepared at home and taken to the park, however, unusual times call for unusual thinking. Create a hamper of delicious bites that can be enjoyed by customers in your outdoor space or to take away.

Give price options

Appeal to more customers by off ering a traditional or premium option. The classic picnic could be egg and cress or ham and mustard sandwiches, sausage rolls (meat or veggie) and a packet of crisps, followed by a slice of Bakewell tart or brownie.

For customers who want something a bit more special, include mini sausages with a sticky hoisin glaze, fi sh fi nger brioche rolls and sweet potato and corn fritters (see right). For sweets, include mini cheesecakes with passionfruit drizzle or a salted caramel topping.

Sweet Potato and Corn Fritters with Chipotle Lime Mayo

Add a refreshment

Fry in advance, then warm and crisp up Don’t forget the picnic drinks. Soft or alcoholic, there are plenty in the oven before adding to the picnic. of options. As well as the classics such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, off er something customers might not have tried before like Ribena off er something customers might not have tried before like Ribena Sparkling. Flavoured fi zzy drink sales grew by 4.2% last year which makes this a brilliant bet.* It comes in blackcurrant and raspberry fl avours and the can would fi t perfectly in your picnic off ering.

Upgrade your off er by giving customers the opportunity to choose an alcoholic option to add to their box for an additional charge – try a mini bottle of wine, bottle of beer or can of spirit and mixer.

The extras (and logistics)

To complete your picnic include paper plates and napkins, plus recyclable wooden cutlery. Or, to make things easy (and cheaper), make sure all the food is hand-held so you just need to add in napkins.

Put some time into making the appearance of the picnic look special. Arrange it well and serve in a wooden tray, basket or nice card box. Ask for a refundable deposit on return for a tray or basket. By making the picnic look high-end, customers are more likely to share a photo with their friends and help spread the word.

*EXT IRI, MarketPlace GB, Value, latest 52 weeks to 22.11.20

Ingredients

• 200g self raising flour • 200g self raising flour • 10g baking powder • 10g baking powder • 2g turmeric • 2g turmeric • 5g smoked paprika • 5g smoked paprika • 5g onion powder • 5g onion powder • 5g salt and pepper • 5g salt and pepper • 400g sweet potato • 400g sweet potato • 10g coriander • 10g coriander • 200g tinned sweetcorn • 200g tinned sweetcorn • 100ml Hellmann’s • 100ml Hellmann’s

Vegan Mayo Vegan Mayo • 5g chipotle paste • 5g chipotle paste • 2 limes, zested • 2 limes, zested

Method

1. Mix together the fl our, baking powder, turmeric, Mix together the fl our, baking powder, turmeric, smoked paprika, onion powder and half the smoked paprika, onion powder and half the seasoning. seasoning. 2. 2. Grate the sweet potato, chop the coriander and Grate the sweet potato, chop the coriander and drain the sweetcorn. Mix with the dry fl our mix drain the sweetcorn. Mix with the dry fl our mix and approximately 50ml water to form a thick and approximately 50ml water to form a thick batter that only just drops off the spoon. batter that only just drops off the spoon. 3. 3. Deep-fry dessertspoonfuls of batter mix at Deep-fry dessertspoonfuls of batter mix at 175C for around 3 mins until golden and cooked 175C for around 3 mins until golden and cooked through. Drain and season. through. Drain and season. 4. 4. For the mayo, mix Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo with For the mayo, mix Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo with the chipotle paste and lime zest. the chipotle paste and lime zest.