Your Guide to a
SEAFOOD BOIL
The Theme
Step out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary by hosting a seafood boil theme party that brings the flavors of the coast to your home and a memorable dining experience for your guests.
With the unmistakable aroma of Old Bay seasoning, the vibrant colors of fresh seafood, and the communal atmosphere of a boil, this themed gathering is guaranteed to be a hit.
The Look
Channel a quintessential seafood boil look with red and white checkered decor, galvanized metal accents, and weathered wood features. Each place setting is complete with a mini galvanized pail with disposable cutlery, napkins and wet naps. Finish your tables with pops of yellow sunflowers. For the main event – the boil – set up a long table covered in kraft paper and toss the seafood across for guests to serve themselves. Serve side dishes family style on the tables or set up a side table for buffet style.
The Menu
A mix of our tried-and-true homemade recipes and storebought ready-to-serve shortcuts from our favorite foodies and retailers!
Hors D’oeUvres
Cheese & Charcuterie Boad
Crudité & Dill Dip
Smoked Whitefish Dip
Smoked Salmon Dip
SIDE DISHES
The Main Event
With your choice of seafood plus potatoes and sausage. Served with garlic butter sauce, Old Bay seasoning & assorted hot sauces.
DESSERT
Notes from the Gals
Use the following quantities as a guide for how much to make: 0.5-1lb of seafood per guest, 0.5lb potatoes per guest, half an ear of corn per guest and 0.25lb sausage per guest.
Use the 1:1 ratio to make sure you have a big enough pot. For every pound of seafood, corn, sausage and potatoes, add a quart to your pot size. You can always use multiple smaller pots and divvy up the recipe between the pots using the 1:1 ratio of pot size to pounds of food.
Go easy on your apps and side dishes! Since the seafood boil is the star of the show, opt for pre-cut crudité, store bought dips, pre-made side dishes and pre-assembled charcuterie boards. Same with side dishes. Airtight containers are your best friends for prepping ingredients the night before and storing in the fridge so all you need to do is toss together and serve.
Make hummers the morning of and store in the freezer. Before guests sit down to dinner, remove from freezer and let thaw so it’s perfect temperature for serving.
The Bar
There are always a few different directions you can take with the bar! One option is bringing in a bartender or two and crafting up on-theme signature cocktails. Another direction is a self-serve bar complete with beer, seltzers, wine, spritzes and cocktails.
The Make Your Own Spritz bar was the perfect send off to Summer and a fun added touch for guests. It had all the fixings for three popular spritz recipes.
Signature Cocktails
Make Your Own
LARGE BATCH COCKTAILS
Use drink dispensers to make a handful of large batch cocktails ahead of time. This alleviates the need for you to be on cocktail duty and can enjoy the party alongside your guests.
Signage
Last but not least! Don’t forget about bar signage so guests know their options. Customize this Canva template for a bar menu with an on-theme red and white checkered border.
Notes from the Gals
Choose at least two whites, two reds, one rose and one sparkling to cover all your guests’ wine preferences.
Choose three different alcohol bases for your large batch cocktails – such as bourbon, tequila and vodka – to appeal to a wide variety of preferences. Make these ahead of your guests arriving and store in refrigerator.
Get creative with your glassware display! We used this cube organizer for extra tabletop storage.
Always have extra disposable cups on hand in case you run out of glassware mid-party.
Complete your MYO Spritz Bar with signage that includes recipe for each spritz.
The Feel
This send off to summer soiree is all about soaking up those last sunny afternoons and pleasant evenings in the backyard.
Lawn Games
Invite guests over early for a round of backyard games and pre-dinner cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Cornhole (or Bags) and Croquet are classic options or switch things up a bit and challenge your guests to a round of Golf Pong, BattleChip, Ladder Toss or Giant Jenga.
Dinner by Candlelight
As the sun sets and the dinner portion of the evening commences, tiki torches scattered throughout the backyard set a fun and festive tone while adding necessary extra light (extra bonus if you live in a bug-filled area). Fill your tables with votives to make the evening really sparkle.
Nightcaps & Cigars
Gather your guests for a final toast to summer by transforming your back patio into a cigar lounge. Grab a few dozen cigars are your local cigar or liquor shop, along with ashtrays, lighters and cutters, for a memorable end to the evening.
Music
Download this curated Backyard Party Playlist for a crowd-pleasing mix of rock, pop, and country.
xo, Margherita & Alysa