
Gobble, Gobble to HOHOHO … Effortless Covid Entertaining … Outdoors! đ

Dear Friends,
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we continue our Covid holiday entertaining series. As I suggested in two of our âTen Steps to Effortless Covid Entertainingâ …
âGet creative and think outside the box.âÂ
âGather outside as much as possible.âÂ
In this newsletter, EE offers two menus and recipes perfect for outdoor gatherings ⊠Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other occasion. With either menu, do a little, do a lot, or make it super effortless and donât do at all. Hire a caterer! Let these menus and suggestions be your thought-starters.
Another concept that you may want to consider ⊠a food truck! Many of our cities have fabulous food truck options. In Charlotte, one of my favorites is Big Red, the pizza truck from True Crafted Pizza. Several years ago we attended an outdoor party with Bid Red and it was fantastic! Consider a Tap Truck too! North Carolina based company Tap Truck NC looks like so much fun and could add a special kick to your party. You could also consider mid-morning Bloodys and Biscuits with a biscuit food truck. In Charlotte, I’ve spied Callieâs Biscuits… looks like a great way to start a Saturday morning! Create a festive Bloody Mary Bar with Bloody Marys, Screwdrivers, and Mimosas.
Other thoughts …
- If you typically host a big crowd, consider hosting your party over three to four hours, and stagger your guests. Perhaps you could invite your A â Gâs for the first hour, H â Nâs the second hour, O â Uâs for the third hour, and V â Zâs for the last hour. Think what fun it will be for you to more easily visit with all of your guests since fewer will be there at one time!
- Start early afternoon so you can take advantage of the daylight and warmer hours. Youâll see several recommendations in Sources &Â Resources. Even though Iâve provided online links, I do encourage you to shop locally for as many products as possible. I include online photos and links as an easy way for me to provide suggestions, but so love it when you can find locally!
- Take care of bugs. Even if youâre not sensitive to mosquitoes, assume your guests are. Spray before your guests arrive or use organic repellents.
Be sure to refer to the October 8th edition of The Dish for âEEâs Ten Steps to Effortless Covid Entertainingâ for helpful considerations, and donât hesitate to email with questions.
From our home to yours,
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MENUS
OYSTER ROAST MENU
Steamed Oysters with Saltines, Cocktail Sauce,
Hot Sauce, and Melted Butter- Three Cheese Pimento CheeseÂ
- Vidalia Onion DipÂ
- Ham Rolls
- Carrots and Cukes in Hummus
- Brunswick Stew
- CornbreadÂ
- Irwinâs Super Brownies
BARBECUE AND BRATS MENU
- Guacamole and Salsa with ChipsÂ
- Vulture DipÂ
- Grilled Brats on buns with all the fixinsâ
âŠrelish, chili sauce, slaw, mustard, onion - Barbecue Sliders
- Slaw
- Fiesta Black Bean Salad
- Irwinâs Super Brownies
SOURCESÂ & RESOURCES
Gas Tripod
|
![]() Gloves
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![]() Bamboo Cocktail Forks
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![]() Oyster KnivesIf you want to be clever, tie an oyster knife in an oyster glove for each guest. |
For The Mains

⊠Perfect for chips, veggies, and dips
Available here:
Cones |  Holder
For the Condiments
Consider plastic squeeze bottles and/or individual sauce cups.
Available here:
Bottle |  Sauce Cups
For the Beverages
Beverage Tub
Contact All Through The House | Call (336) 777-1000
Cups
My favorite multi-purpose beverage cup for beer, wine, and cocktails. You can buy already designed or customize. Many of our local paper and stationery shops can order these for you.
Available here
Glass Markers
Available here
Extras
Many of our local kitchen and tabletop stores carry these wonderful Vietri napkins ⊠SHOP LOCAL!
Paper Napkins
Capri Dinner Napkins |  Stripe Cocktail Napkins |  Plaid Dinner Napkins
For The Tables
 Consider butcher paper, which can be replaced frequently or PVC tablecloths which can be cleaned frequently.Â
Butcher Paper
Available here
PVC TableclothÂ
White Plaid | Branch
For The Trash
Disposable Trash CansÂ
Available here