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entertaining
Take it Outside Restaurant owners Paget Pizitz and Harriet Reis give tips for making your next outdoor get-together unforgettable. by OLIVIA GRIDER
P
eople love eating outdoors, say Paget Pizitz and Harriet Reis, and they should know. The duo own two popular restaurants – Melt and Fancy’s on 5th – anchoring Birmingham’s hip Avondale neighborhood, which Pizitz calls “one of the most interesting cities within a city in America.” Both restaurants feature outdoor dining options: a screened porch at Melt and a large patio at Fancy’s on 5th. “People enjoy the sun and outdoor air, and they feel a sense of community when they’re outside,” Pizitz says. With an eye toward current trends, Reis and Pizitz offer this outdoorentertaining advice:
Melt’s strawberry margarita RIGHT: Harriet Reis and Paget Pizitz
1. Take food and drinks back to basics, with a twist.
Complicated dishes can be unapproachable, and craft cocktails with 15 ingredients don’t appeal to everyone, Pizitz and Reis say. Oysters are a great option for grilling outside or baking in an oven, then transporting to an outdoor space where guests are gathered. “All you need to do is brush them with butter and garlic and dress them with lemon,” Pizitz says. Offer a range of toppings so guests can add their own twists. With drinks, try your hand at jazzing up basic cocktails. Use Melt’s Matilda Loaded (lemonade, basil, raspberry and vodka) and Fancy’s Avondale Dirty (vodka or gin, olive juice and blue-cheese-stuffed olives) as inspiration.
2. Offer shareable fare.
“Food brings people together,” Pizitz notes, and you can build on that by providing shareable platters. Pizitz references Fancy’s smoked tuna dip and Melt’s Picnic Trio – roasted red pepper hummus, chicken salad and pimento cheese – all served with lavash crackers. Another favorite is Indian naan bread brushed with olive oil and dressed with toppings such as mozzarella and basil (Italian version) or garlic, roasted red pepper and feta cheese (Mediterranean style). Prep time is just 10 minutes on the grill or in the oven. Large plates of nachos are also hits.
3. Cull down clutter.
Keep your entertaining spaces simple like the food and drinks you serve. Reis and Pizitz recommend versatile furniture that fits your style and gives you the freedom to convert your sunroom, patio or other outdoor space from a cozy setting for curling up with coffee to a dining area for friends and family. Pick items that appeal to you at antique and salvage stores. Don’t try so hard, and you’ll be surprised at how well things natually come together. The Picnic Trio from Melt
2017 RETREAT 13
