Your Guide to Outdoor Hosting
Longer afternoons, warmer weather and a little more sunshine make outdoor entertaining hard to resist. From a casual backyard lunch to drinks with friends that stretch into the evening, spring is the perfect excuse to bring everyone together.
Hosting doesn't have to mean spending the whole day in the kitchen. With a few fresh dishes, something good to drink and a couple of easy shortcuts, Windsor Marketplace has plenty of options to help get your next gathering started.
Mango & Cashew Salad
Bring some colour to the table with a fresh spring salad that pairs beautifully with grilled meats, sandwiches or a spread of share plates. Quick to prepare and full of seasonal flavour, it’s just as good served as a side as it is enjoyed on its own for a light lunch.
Ingredients
1/4 green cabbage, shredded
50g pea shoots, cut in half
1/2 bunch coriander, sprigs picked
1 mango, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 limes
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
Method
Combine cabbage, pea shoots, coriander, mango and onion in a large bowl.
Zest and juice 1 of the limes, then cut remaining lime into cheeks. Place lime zest and juice, oil and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Add half of the dressing to mango mixture and gently toss to combine. Spoon into a serving platter. Top with cashews and chilli. Serve with lime cheeks.
Add Something Ready to Share
Not everything on the table needs to be homemade. Here are two easy ways to take the pressure off hosting.
Bring something fresh to the spread with sushi. A selection of sushi rolls makes an easy option for guests to pick up and enjoy, especially for casual lunches and smaller outdoor gatherings.
For a more indulgent spread, bring in burgers, chicken wings, wraps or Portuguese grilled chicken from Spicy Bondi. These are handy options for feeding a group without firing up the barbecue or cooking multiple dishes.
Pour Something Made for Spring
Spring picnics, sunny afternoons and a refreshing drink in hand. This Canadian Club Summer Spritz is made for those outdoor catch-ups that turn into all-day affairs! A simple mix of Canadian Club, grapefruit juice and soda delivers a crisp, citrusy spritz that’s easy to sip and even easier to share. Pick up the ingredients at BWS and bring a little extra refreshment to the next spring picnic.
Ingredients
30mL Canadian Club Whisky from BWS
60mL red grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon caster sugar
Soda water
Fresh grapefruit
Method
Add 30ml Canadian Club whisky, 60ml red grapefruit juice and 1 tsp caster sugar into a glass with ice.
Top with soda and stir.
Garnish with a fresh grapefruit slice.
Finish with Something Sweet
No outdoor gathering feels complete without something sweet. Keep dessert simple with fresh seasonal fruit, mini pavlovas, a bakery cake or a platter of bite-sized treats from Woolworths.
The idea is to give hosts an easy finish that can be prepared ahead of time and brought straight to the table.
Spring picnics are all about good food, refreshing drinks and catching up outdoors. Grab your picnic essentials, mix up a Canadian Club Summer Spritz and find a sunny spot to settle in. Make the most of the warmer days with a little help from your local stores at Windsor Marketplace.