Top Tips for a Festive Fourth

Experts offer advice on beachy entertainment, kid-friendly activities and summer feasts

BY TRACY NAIMO

Nothing beats the beach. That thought inspires Bill Roll—a chef who instructs at Brookdale Community College and grew up and lives in Manasquan with his wife and family—to create beach-themed backyard extravaganzas to celebrate the essence of escape, the warmth of summer and the excitement of Indepedence Day.

Want a festive feast that transports you to a world of sun, sand and culinary bliss? Follow Roll’s lead (or book him for a private chef party) with points like these:

Family Fun

• ADORN TABLES: Top surfaces with vibrant beach towels, seashells and coral accents.

• CREATE A LIVELY ATMOSPHERE: Decorate with playful beach umbrellas and colorful lanterns.

• ADD A SOUNDTRACK: Lay on an ambiance of ocean waves and beachy sounds.

• SHOWCASE SUMMER FLAVORS: Kick off with a classic summer salad like the one here from Chef Roll. Finish with a red-white-and-blue ice cream sundae bar featuring vanilla ice cream, strawberries, blueberries and red and blue bite-sized candies.

• REFRESH GUESTS: Quench thirst with fruity mocktails such as strawberry lemonade spritzers and watermelon mojitos—or, for a spirited beach-bar option, spicy jalapeño margaritas.

For more, check Chef Roll on Instagram, @Chefbillroll.

Chocolate Covered Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

It’s a key July 4 challenge: finding fun, simple, patriotic—and safe— ways to celebrate with the whole family. Here are two kid-friendly favorites from Lindsay Trettel, a stay-at-home mother of two daughters who lives in Brick.

Firework Placemats

SUPPLIES:

• Black paper placemats or construction paper

• Plastic bendy straws and something to bind them

• Red, white and blue washable paint

• Optional glitter glue or other embellishment

Tie five or six straws together just above the bendy section. Flare the straws into a firework shape, dip into paint and stamp onto your black surface. Start with white paint, then blue, then red. Let paint dry a little between colors to minimize smudges. Adding glitter glue or stickers can make your “fireworks” really pop.

• Cookies (Oreos work well)

• ½ cup chocolate chips

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Sprinkles

• Parchment paper

Combine the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, mixing well between each. Once chocolate is smooth, put one cookie in the bowl, coating both sides with chocolate, and remove with a fork. Gently tap the fork against the bowl to remove excess, then smooth the layer of chocolate. Place your cookie on a parchment-lined plate, top with sprinkles and cool in the fridge for at least an hour.

Grilled Summer Peach Salad With Sweet Vidalia Onions And Heirloom Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 peaches, ripe

• 2 Vidalia onions, cut in thick rounds

• 1 bunch scallions

• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

• 1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes

• 1 Jersey beefsteak tomato, cut in wedges

• 3 heirloom green zebra tomatoes

• Basil vinaigrette (use recipe at right)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

• Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Leave the skin on for grilling.

• Peel the Vidalia onions and slice them into thick rounds.

• Trim the root ends of the scallions and leave the green tops intact.

• Lightly brush the peach halves, Vidalia onion rounds and scallions with olive oil to prevent sticking and place them on the grill.

• Grill the peaches until they have grill marks and soften slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and let them cool.

• Grill the Vidalia onion rounds and scallions until charred and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and let them cool.

• Once the grilled ingredients have cooled, slice the peaches into wedges and separate the Vidalia onion rounds into rings.

• In a large bowl, combine the grilled peaches, Vidalia onion rings, yellow cherry tomatoes, Jersey beefsteak tomatoes and heirloom green zebra tomatoes.

• Drizzle basil vinaigrette from the recipe at right generously over the salad and gently toss to coat the ingredients evenly.

• Garnish with the grilled scallions and serve.

Basil Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head garlic

• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

• 1 shallot, finely minced

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F.

• ¼ cup sherry vinegar

• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Handful fresh basil leaves

• Slice off the top portion of the garlic head to expose the cloves.

• Place the garlic head on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap it up tightly.

• Roast the garlic in the oven until the cloves are soft and golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

• Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and allow it to cool.

• Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add the minced shallot, Dijon mustard, honey, sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

• While the blender/food processor is running, slowly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies and thickens. Blend the ingredients until smooth.

• Tear the fresh basil leaves into smaller pieces and add them to the blender/food processor.

• Pulse a few times to incorporate the basil leaves into the dressing, but avoid over-processing to retain some texture.

• Taste the dressing and add more salt, pepper or vinegar if needed, according to preference.

• Transfer the basil vinaigrette to a pint-sized jar or container and refrigerate until ready to use.