Our Fourth of July cook-out combines traditional American foods (fried chicken, potato salad) with some that are not so traditional (grilled shrimp and grilled bread salad.)  It comes together easily with a mix of do-ahead and last minute dishes so you can relax and enjoy your guests.

 

What to Drink :

With the fried chicken, for wine, try a sparkling rosé, a cava, an American sparkling wine, or Champagne.  Cava will generally be the most budget friendly; our favorite American sparkling wine is the Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc.  An ale would be the best choice for the beer drinkers.  With the shrimp, try a sauvignon blanc from America or New Zealand, possibly a rosé from Provence; a lager would work for beer drinkers.

Or just drink what you like.

Notes:

Keep the appetizers simple.  Cube some seedless watermelon and a chunk of feta cheese, skewer with a fun toothpick, season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with a fruity olive oil (one from Provence would be good.)  Add crudités (your choice) with ranch dressing.  And, just for fun, ridged potato chips with the classic onion dip made with Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix.

We love the At Home with Marieke line for all of our summer parties—the red, white, and blue colors are perfect and the look is just casual enough.  The large 14-inch bowls will hold the potato salad and the mixed green salad; use the 10-inch bowl for the grilled bread salad.  You can present the watermelon appetizers on the Sophie Stitch cheese plate.  Then mix and match plates, and definitely, the small mugs to serve the dessert.  Put the fried chicken in the Pillivuyt rectangular baker and the shrimp on the Pillivuyt square plate.  The Marieke tea towels would be perfect as napkins.

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