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BBQ/PICNIC?


foxyloxy25
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Advice Please! and thanks in advance.

I would like to have an open house/bbq/picnic for my husbands adult French students, studying beginners and advanced English. What I don't want is everyone sat at one long table as there could be as many as 40 people.  So (1) how do I issue the invite? so that it will be clear that there will be no formal eating, would I call it a picnic? (2) would it be considered rude to ask them to bring a plate of salad/dessert etc (3) any suggestions as to the meat/veg I can bbq for that many people.  I appreciate this is a tall order, I have ideas, but I am looking for fonts of knowledge from more experienced folk, any do and dont's would be appreciated.

Again many thanks for your time.

Jeanne 

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Jeanne ..........

1. Just call it a bbq

2. Probably: do plenty of interesting salads, forget the dessert (many don't bother & you'll waste it), loads of nice cheese (pricey, but whatever!)

3. Buy whole frozen legs of NZ lamb in the hyper: 4 @ €10 - €12 each should do it.  De-frost, bone and dice in to 2cm chunks.  Marinade for 4 hrs-ish in loads of olive oil, red wine and chopped rosemary + pepper. Kebab them, maybe with the odd bit of diced pepper for colour. (Any too small bits of meat can be 'curried' and re-frozen). Quite a lot of work, but worth it + easy to cook.  Allow a mix of sausages each if you want, but it's so easy to over-cater in these situations.

 

 

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Hi Jeanne,

This is my first time posting to this forum.  I've been living in France for 17 years and have learned everything the hard way - never thought to connect with other English speakers.  Maybe this has actually helped me some, because when one learns from one's mistakes, it really sinks in.

Your affair is definitely a bbq and not a picnic.  The French people will know what you are talking about and won't be surprised to find that it is not a sit-down together meal (imagine trying to time that!)  However, I would make sure they had a place to sit down, especially the ladies.  I've been to events at my husbands work where everyone was asked to bring a salad or dessert and the hosts provided the drinks and the meat for the bbq.  So asking people to bring something should get a good response I imagine.

I heard a French man recently moaning about the terrible bbq he went to in the States.  I think the French expect something a little different from a bbq than what I grew up with.  They usually have skewered meats and vegetables, merguez and other sausages, and perhaps some steaks.  I haven't seen them do hamburgers and hotdogs.

Whatver you do, don't forget the baguettes!  And I'm sure they wouldn't say no to cheese, but than you have to worry about not letting that sit out for too long.

One thing I've seen people do here that is very effective is to get a huge ice chest (my husband can get these at work) and fill it with sodas, beer, and even wine.  Everyone serves themselves as needed.

I've never had 40 people to entertain at once.  You are very brave.  It would be fun to hear how your event comes out and what you learned.

Kind Regards,

Kim

 

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 " I've been to events at my husbands work where everyone was asked to bring a salad or dessert and the hosts provided the drinks and the meat for the bbq.  So asking people to bring something should get a good response I imagine "

Seconded..  I sometimes do it and it is very normal now in France. 

I would go for merguez ( yes, don't forget the baguettes!!) , chipollatas, pork chops, chicken, steak maybe, salads, taboulé, crisps, green salad,  then cheese, and ice cream or fruit salad for dessert. 

Coffee , and everybody has fun !!!

 

 

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Kim thank you so much for your reply, I am certainly honoured as this is your first posting especially as you have 17years of experience living in France.  I do agree that one learns more from one's mistakes, but I really do not want to make too many, so I am happy with the responses I have had.  I will let you know how it goes as it is my first 'big' affair!!

Jeanne 

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Hi foxyloxy25

We did a bbq for 65 last year - everyone in the hamlet and our old car club - initially we only anticipated about 30 but it escalated as these things do.

I second all the comments so far and would also say that it would be a good idea to ask them to bring a chair - none of our guests minded at all and some even offered to bring their garden tables.

We did merguez, chicken drumsticks (marinated the day before and cooked in the oven and finished on the bbq) and kebabs (pork, chicken, green & red pepper, cherry toms) again marinated the day before. A selection of salads - the most popular by far were the tomato and mozzarella with olive oil & black pepper and the hot potato salad (whole small new baby pots scrubbed) with chives and a sprinkling of olive oil & sea salt!  Selection of cheeses - goats, ementhal and brie. Dessert - banans (in their skins) sliced in the middle and half a mars bar stuffed in, wrapped in foil and stuck on the barby for a few seconds - the guests died for it - took us back to our Scouting & Guiding days ...............  Plus of course lots and lots of bread!

Quantities - not everyone will want one of everything - we did about 40 of each item and there was far far too much!

Also drinks - we used boxes of wine and decanted them into bottles, cheapest bottles of supermarket water and a some orange juice and put them out so everyone could help themselves but found them reluctant at first so make sure a few people are ready to help with serving these and getting proceedings going............

Invitation - we just did A5 sheets and headed it up BBQ, put the date, time, place, our names etc and did an open invite to hand to people in person - the written invite was really just a reminder for them for the verbal invite and date etc.  Seemed to do the job!

Good luck [:D]

 

 

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[quote user="Kim"]

  However, I would make sure they had a place to sit down, especially the ladies. 

 

[/quote]

I'd agree with this about sitting down.  At all barbecues and buffets I've attended in France, there have always been tables and chairs.  I've never come across the informality of eating standing up or sitting on the ground that we have in England.  Also, other French friends have commented on the importance of being able to sit at a table properly to eat meals.  However, I daresay this will have changed quite a bit now, especially the way the French walk around eating fast food and shop bought sandwiches these days.  Something which horrified them 15 years ago.

 

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Not sure it has changed much Jill.  Most of our French friends and clients are panicked even by having aperos in the sitting room instead of at the table.  Eating anything whilst not at the table seems to be alien.  We prefer to have our coffee away from the dirty dishes too - but have to explain that moving doesn't mean we want them to go home!  Even when out walking they prefer to find a picnic table rather than sitting on a wall or perching on a fallen tree as I often do.  I find the french habit of picnicking in laybys with traffic rushing by too weird for words - but each to their own!
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Yes, even picnics can be quite formal.  I remember my husband being stung by a wasp at Lourdes and there were some people sitting round their portable picnic table nearby, all fully laid out.  We went over to ask if they had any vinegar and sure enough, they did.  Also, it surprised me in an area we went to near a river one Sunday, just how many people were there for a picnic, but all carrying picnic tables, barbecues and the full works, while we sat on a blanket to eat a casse croute! 
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We went with our visiting family to the zoo last summer and of course took a picnic with us, the normal sandwiches, fruit and biscuits. There were lots of picnic tables and benches so we could all eat in comfort, but you could tell the French from the British visitors not only by language but by the fully laid-out picnic tables of the French, complete with table-cloth, cutlery and plates.  Our young grandsons were fascinated and rather impressed! [:D]
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We have an annual picnic on the Mulsanne straight around midnight on the Saturday night of the 24 hour race - loads of food, picnic table, plates etc, plus plenty of chilled bubbly in proper glasses.  The Brits look at us as if we are mad, whilst the French pass by without a glance. If you're going to do something, you should do it properly!
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We've adopted the French style for our picnics too. I find that it is actually easier because you can just throw things into the fridge or dishwasher when you get back and it takes far less preparation.

I don't think my 70s cool box (cream and brown of course) cuts much ice with the French though.

Hoddy
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Just a reminder (not needed I'm sure but...)  If you are going to do chicken or pork, make sure it is cooked through.  You can cook it in the oven beforehand as suggested previously or, as I did for a large BBQ was to boil the jointed chickens and pork chops and when cool, lightly marianade them.  This means they are already fully cooked and are just heated and crisped up on the BBQ with additional lashings of marinade.  Last time I did this, two of the guests were professional French chefs - and even they approved!!

Don't forget the mayo! or the corkscrew

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Thank you so much for your advice, I have arranged to borrow a whole lot of chairs and tables, we also have a low wall around the terrace, which can be used as seating.  I have been given great advice and plan to follow it, now all I need to know is how to get rid of the butterflies in my tummy!!!

Jeanne

 

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Just remember that your guests (French or English or whatever) are human beings too, and they've been through all the same anxieties that you have.  Unless everybody gets food poisioning, what's to worry about?  Relax and have fun. (Oh, and take Hoddy's advice in the meantime, of course.[B])
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  • 1 month later...

I just wish to thank all of you for your advice and suggestions,  I took it all on board, as a result, with the help of friends the whole shindig went off very well, there were 45 people who all stayed until just after midnight, and we had a great time.  My thanks for taking me through the process.

Jeanne

 

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[quote user="cooperlola"]We have an annual picnic on the Mulsanne straight around midnight on the Saturday night of the 24 hour race - loads of food, picnic table, plates etc, plus plenty of chilled bubbly in proper glasses.  The Brits look at us as if we are mad, whilst the French pass by without a glance. If you're going to do something, you should do it properly![/quote]

Just mooching around the forum and saw this thread.

You got it Coop,  Chrystal glasses in the desert with chilled white wine - it really shows how to do it properly. Been there, done that, didn't bother with the T shirt ( they are so passe(accent))  [:P]

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[quote user="foxyloxy25"]

 ... the whole shindig went off very well, there were 45 people who all stayed until just after midnight, and we had a great time.  [/quote]

Splendid news; congratulations on such a successful result ... I couldn't do what you have done in a month of Sundays, I'd be far too anxious.

Sue [:)]

 

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  • 1 year later...

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