British Summertime Begins so lets celebrate

We are fast approaching the end of the month and when we hit March 29^th the clocks change! Known as Daylight Saving Time, by putting our clocks forward one hour at the end of March we move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. This means more hours to party!

Going back to 1784, Benjamin Franklin first suggested the practice but it wasn’t until 1907 that the British Parliament took the idea. Changing the clocks became standard practice in the USA during the World Wars to take advantage of the longer daylight hours in order to save energy for the war production and since then approximately 70 countries now participate.

So from the end of March we can start to hopefully have summer garden parties at the weekend and make the most of some sunshine! Here are some party ideas from Party Domain for some summer fun.

Party Decorations

When looking for summer decorations think palm trees, sunshine and tropical beaches. Scene Setters are a great way to create a paradise island and you can use inflatable palm trees, Hawaiian string decorations and novelty piñatas to create a fun luau style party. Hanging paper lanterns and giant foil supershapes can add impact to your celebration and make great photo opportunities.

Party Tableware

If you are having your summer party outdoors then choose a selection of brightly coloured disposable tableware and some novelty parasol picks and drinks party accessories. Sprinkle your buffet table with palm tree confetti or choose brightly coloured tropical island sprinkles.

Fancy Dress

With fancy dress you can either go low key or the whole hog. Add some colour to your outfits with Hawaiian leis, headbands and bracelets or go for the ‘Magnum’ look with brightly coloured Hawaiian shirts and matching shorts. Don a fetching Sombrero to shade the sun and don’t forget the funky sunglasses.

Food and Drink

The obvious choice would always be a simple BBQ but for the budding chefs you could always try a traditional Hawaiian dish served with rum punch and brightly coloured cocktails. Try some of our suggestions below:

“Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs”

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 2 inch pieces
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir the chicken pieces and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear.

“Island-Style Fried Rice”

1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
3 cups water
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 (12 ounce) can fully cooked luncheon meat (such as SPAM®), cubed
1/2 cup sliced Chinese sweet pork sausage (lup cheong)
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Bring the rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the rice cool completely. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat, and brown the luncheon meat and sausage. Set aside, and pour the beaten eggs into the hot skillet. Scramble the eggs, and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and stir in the rice. Toss the rice with the hot oil until heated through and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic powder, toss the rice for 1 more minute to develop the garlic taste, and stir in the luncheon meat, sausage, scrambled eggs, pineapple, and oyster sauce. Cook and stir until the oyster sauce coats the rice and other ingredients, 2 to 3 minutes, stir in the green onions, and serve.

“Mai Tai”