Recipe for a traditional British barbecue:
- Winter is no time for a barbecue. Make sure you hold it in the height of summer, otherwise you will not be guaranteed several light but drenching showers.
- Rather than risk the inevitable arguments about which bloke should control the barbecue, invite a couple of antipodeans. All British men will bow down in favour of the, clearly superior, barbecue skills of an Ozzie or Kiwi bloke. If you can’t find one of those then in a pinch you may use a South African.
- Invite a really good female cook to provide a shitload of posh salads “for the ladies”.
- Buy too much food and alcohol and then tell everyone to bring loads of food and alcohol.
- …and their kids
Then sit back and enjoy the half hearted misery that ensues under the damp, leaden, sky!
My sister and her heroically tolerant boyfriend hosted such an event today and wisely observed all of these principles. I have to say that we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Too much food, combined with wine and excellent company certainly does make for a good afternoon.
Last night down the Rosie was also thoroughly enjoyable and thankfully far less mad than the Friday before…