Taste of summer

Who needs foreign climes? Make your venue the hottest destination this summer with great food and a sunny atmosphere

Sizzling hot

If you’ve got an outdoor space, your venue is already going to be popular. Maximise on this by creating an inviting, comfortable space where customers will happily sit for hours, eating and drinking. Put out rugs on the grass for customers to sit on and outdoor games for kids and grown-ups to play – it’ll keep them spending for longer.

Offer food all day and fire up the barbecue, if you have one, as it could be what makes customers choose your venue and not others. Make an event of it and take bookings to manage stock levels. Burgers and hot dogs are a given and all you need to whet appetites but be more creative if you can. Pretty much anything

can be popped on the grill, from chicken and steak to fish, meatfree burgers and kebabs. Step up your barbecue game with marinades too. Coat your meat or fish and leave to soak up the flavours for at least an hour and up to 48 hours. Serve in buns, pittas or wraps or simply in a lettuce cup. Sides are essential too and try to make most of them vegetarian to suit all customers; think coleslaw, potato wedges, salads and corn on the cob drizzled with butter or mix together butter, paprika, lime zest and parmesan and brush over. Highlight your vegan options as well to show everyone is catered for.

Pack up a picnic

Summer is 100% picnic season and you can offer up plenty of choice for customers, from simple to special, table-top to takeaway, at a variety of price points. Go simple with egg and cress and ham and mustard sandwiches with a sausage roll, bag of crisps and a slice of brownie or shortbread. Go gourmet with parma ham and rocket and salmon and lemon cream cheese sandwiches on rye bread or focaccia, pork and chorizo sausage rolls, a selection of cheeses with crackers, crudités with dips, fresh fruit and a slice of Victoria sponge with Pimm’s whipped cream.

Remember the drinks to complete the experience. As well as the usual suspects – fizzy drinks and juices – provide something different such as Costa Coffee’s new RTD frappé range or homemade drinks in reusable glass bottles. Offer an upgrade to include an alcoholic or alcohol-free drink such as mini bottles of prosecco, new Hardys Rosé, Chardonnay and Shiraz in a handy canned format or Accolade Wines’ new alcohol-free &Then range.

Whether customers eat in or take away, finish it off with paper napkins, plates and cups and wooden cutlery, all recyclable. Consider how you pack it up to make it Instagrammable – use baskets (ask for a deposit to secure its return) or sturdy cardboard boxes or bags lined with tissue. For

Holiday vibes

For those customers not jetting off this year, could you hold themed events throughout the summer to transport them to far-flung, or not-so, places? The cuisines of the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Hawaii and Brazil all offer up plenty of inspiration for food, drink and decorations. Could you even create a mini beach in your outdoor space?

WATERMELON & FETA SALAD

Take 1 baby watermelon, remove the rind and seeds and cut into bite-size chunks. Arrange on a plate and scatter over 65g fresh mint leaves, 30g thinly sliced red onion and halved cucumber slices. Combine 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp pure honey and salt and black pepper and spoon over the watermelon. Top with crumbled feta and pomegranate seeds to serve.

MARINADES

With each of these recipes, simply mix all the ingredients together, add the meat or fish, coat thoroughly and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Italian-style

Stir 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp dried oregano or Italian mixed herbs, 2 tbsp tomato purée and 1 tbsp olive oil together.

Piri piri

Perfect for chicken and amazing with pork. Mix together 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil and the juice of half a lemon.

Sticky soy marinade

Combine 2 tbsp soy sauce (dark is best, light is fine), 1 tbsp runny honey and 1 tsp fresh ginger purée.

STRAWBERRY TARTS

»PREP: 20 MINS »COOK: 12 MINS

INGREDIENTS: 125g salted butter, at room temperature; 75g icing sugar; 1 medium egg; ¼ tsp vanilla extract; 250g plain flour; 350ml double cream; fresh strawberries, hulled and halved; fresh mint leaves

METHOD

1 Beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and well combined.

2 Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, then fold in the flour, gently. Form mixture into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for around an hour.

3 Roll out the pastry on a sheet of clingfilm or a very lightly floured surface. Using a fluted cutter, cut out shapes the same size as a 12-hole baking tin. Line the tin with the pastry and prick the base of each tart. Chill for 15-20 mins.

4 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚ fan/gas mark 4.

5 Bake the pastry cases for about 10-12 mins, until lightly golden.

6 Leave in tins for 5-10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7 Whip the double cream to soft peaks and spoon into the cold pastry cases. Top each tart with strawberry halves and a fresh mint leaf. Serve immediately.

Top tip

MAKE THIS TART DAIRY- AND GLUTEN- FREE BY USING COCONUT MILK FOR THE FILLING, COMBINING WITH MAPLE SYRUP AND VANILLA EXTRACT, AND COCONUT OIL, ALMOND FLOUR, SALT, MAPLE SYRUP AND EGG FOR THE PASTRY

SMOKED SALMON, PEA AND PARMESAN MINI FRITTATAS

»PREP: 10 MINS »COOK: 40 MINS

INGREDIENTS: 300g baby new potatoes; 100g frozen peas; 6 large eggs; 150ml crème fraîche; 50g parmesan, finely grated; 2 tbsp finely chopped chives; 120g smoked salmon, cut into strips

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/ gas mark 4.

2 Line a 12-hole muffin tin with squares of baking paper, pleated to fit each hole.

3 Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 mins until just tender. Add the peas to the pan for the final minute of cooking time. Drain the vegetables, run under cold water, then slice the potatoes.

4 In a jug, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche and parmesan with some seasoning. Stir in most of the chives.

5 Divide the sliced potatoes and peas equally between the muffin holes, top with the smoked salmon and pour over the egg mixture. Scatter over the reserved chives and bake for 20-25 mins until the mixture has risen and beginning to turn golden on top. Ideal served warm.