Plan a menu that can be mostly executed in advance. The great thing about summer cooking is that the ingredients are so fresh and delicious, you don’t have to do much to them, and many dishes can be served chilled or at room temperature.

If serving an outdoor buffet, be sure to protect the food from bugs. Mesh food-cover domes are widely available now and will keep flies and bees away from the food.

And while we’re on the subject of bugs, I light tiki torches with citronella around the perimeter of the party area and I keep a bottle of bug spray handy in case the mosquitoes bother guests.

If you’re having friends for lunch, be sure that the table is set somewhere out of direct sun in the shade. If that’s not possible, consider purchasing some fun straw hats from the dollar store to give to guests. 

When entertaining outdoors during the day, always have sunscreen available for guests.

For an outdoor dinner party, make sure you have enough light. Candles are always nice (unscented so as not to attract bugs) and inexpensive lanterns or even clear Christmas lights are fun.

Make a playlist of fun classic summer tunes, like Bob Marley or the Beach Boys.

Make a fruity signature cocktail. For a big group, I like to make a pitcher drink or a punch, like my Watermelon Rum Punch.

Keep hors d’oeuvres simple; a light bite and a cocktail is all you need on a warm summer evening. I like sliced cucumbers with a sprinkling of sea salt, lemon zest and crushed red pepper.

Make one side dish that can double as an entree for any vegetarian guests, like a lentil salad or a grilled vegetable and black bean salad. Both of those make great sides to grilled meat or fish, but the beans are filling and offer a protein to vegetarians.

Try using these ten ingredients for the perfect summer gathering: tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, peaches, watermelon, plums, apricots, BBQ grilled meats and seafood, and plenty of charcoal for grilling!