We’ve all experienced it. Gone to a disappointing BBQ where there were no welcome drinks, blackened burgers easily mistaken for coal and baps soggier than the British weather…
Thankfully we’re here to make sure, come rain or shine, that your BBQ’s are the best on the block! Be warned, intoxicated passers-by might want an invite!
Rock your grill with our top 5 sure-fire ways to organise and host the best BBQ ever…
1. Imagine being welcomed into a party where there was a fancy drinks station covering options from water to punch and another table filled with mouth-watering dips, crisps, crackers and only the best crudities… sounds dreamy. Having a drinks and nibbles station is the way to go in making a great first impression. Plus, it helps ease the pressure off having to slave away on the barbie straight away.
2. Sleep on it! Create out of this world flavours by marinating your fan favourite meats and veggies then leaving them to soak in the night before = winner.(As long as you don’t burn them of course!). Tease and tantalise your guests taste buds with adventurous spice blends. We’ve got a few in our cookbook, have you had a thumb through yet?
3. Finishing touches… compliment fiery, sweet and smoky barbecue flavours with sensationally seasoned salads and side dishes. These can be prepared in advance and assembled at the last minute to give you the ultimate title of being The Host with the Most!
4. Have the element of surprise by wowing your guests with sweet treats. Ever tried flame grilled pineapple kebabs? Delicious! How about a hot banana Sunday? The possibilities are endless…
5. Mood maker… set the feel of your event and say no to awkward silences by playing fun background music, it’s a brilliant ice breaker. Remember atmosphere is everything!
Bonus tip from our Grill Master Richard Holden:
“Use the lid and master the art of grilling vs. roasting on your barbecue. Closing the lid will surround your food with heat and cook it quicker than on an open grill. Start foods over the heat to achieve those gorgeous caramelisation marks before moving to an area of roasting heat to cook through thoroughly. I always use a digital thermometer to check my food is safely cooked before serving to guests and my golden rule is “75 – Stayin’ Alive!” The core of your food should be 75c in order that it’s safe to eat.”
Now you’re on the road to becoming a barbecue master! Interested in having an expert Richard Holden show you a thing or two? Feel free to ask our team or click here…
Happy hosting from thestudio, you’ll most likely catch us basking on our roof terraces!
Sir Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardener all have something in common, can you guess what it is? If you answered a love of Whisky you’d have scored 10 points! Whether it’s a sweet bourbon or a classy Old Fashioned, this golden coloured liquid has been the favoured choice of many fabulous minds and talents throughout time. So, let’s raise a toast in celebration of World Whisky Day!
Whisky Wonders…
Considered a staple in the bartending world, this delicious drink has quite a few stories to tell, here’s a couple of our favourite facts about whisky you might not have known:
1. Renowned for its distilling talents and the home of the humble Scotch, Scotland has more than 20 million casks of this marvellous malt! Talk about a life time’s supply.
2. The term for whisky in Gaelic is “uisge beathe”, meaning water of life.
3. Whiskey or whisky? Surprisingly both are correct!
4. Say whisky! Funnily enough instead of cheese, some Latin American countries shout out Whisky when posing for photos.
Whisky business…
Other than today being World Whisky Day, we have another reason for you to be grinning from ear to ear. If we’ve had the pleasure of inviting you through our doors, you might have noticed we love taster sessions! Quarterly we host menu tastings for fellow foodies to come and give welcomed opinions on the lunches we serve, but today, we’re talking whisky and this September thestudiobirmingham welcomes Midlands Whisky Festival!
Palate pleaser…
Aromatic, sweet, heathery or smoky tones… With so many varieties to tantalise your taste buds, there’s destined to be a beautiful blend that’ll charm even the most reluctant taste testers!
Midlands Whisky Festival aims to do just that, perfect for seasoned dram drinkers and those looking for an indulgent introduction into the whisky world, this event is the perfect opportunity to get to grips with all things whisky. Join in for the love of whisky or simply out of curiosity, find out more by clicking here.
Cheers…
However you choose to celebrate, we hope you have a fantastic weekend and hope to see you soon!
It’s heating up at thestudio this May as we’ve got some exciting news to share! Our cookbook BALANCE has arrived in all of our venues and is rammed with over 60 healthy recipes!
The book fits perfectly with our food philosophy, an affordable but beautiful book that has been created in response to the amount times we have heard “lunch was delicious” can you ask the chef for the recipe!
But here’s a few things you might not have known about our little book of BALANCE …
Not for profit…
That’s right, this little number is a not for profit book! All the proceeds go directly to supporting the Nutrition & Diet Resource UK a not for profit organisation for patient centred care working in the public and private sector. It really is all about the food and promoting healthy balanced diets!
Daily dine…
If you’ve attended, are going to attend or actually are at thestudio this very moment, chances are you’ll be lunching on one of the recipes from “Balance”! With over 60 fresh, exciting and inspired dishes that have all appeared on our menus at some point, you won’t be short of combinations to choose from. Aside from an undeniably delicious afternoon break, it’s serves as the perfect time to show guests what thestudio’s made of!
Swapsies…
Things are better when everyone can enjoy them, that’s why on a lot of our recipes, whether it’s for ethical or health reasons, we’ve highlighted ingredients within the recipes that can swapped to suit your dietary needs. Balance has a section dedicated to adapting to special diets from veganism to gluten free… we’ve got a dish for you!
Hats off to the chef…
Compliments were driving force behind the whole idea, each location chef has been involved in the creation of the book, thestudio thought it would be great to give something back to the guests who love their food, offering up the opportunity to impress their friends and family with some tasty dishes. All of this whilst contributing to the bigger picture.
Nutrition is the key …
All the recipes have been analysed by Nutritics software, so you can be assured (if you can stick to just one portion!) of the energy, fat, carbohydrate, protein and salt content in each dish.
We’d love to hear about your favourite foodie experience at our venues, tweet @studiovenues your favourite dishes and remember, if you’d like to find out more, we’re just a fork call away…
