Style4Home - Make Your Backyard Party the Talk of the Town

(ARA) - Warm weather has arrived! And you know what that means - it's time to fire up the grill and dust off the patio furniture. With holidays like Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day just around the corner, how many backyard parties are you planning to host? It's no surprise that 44 percent of us will barbecue at least once or twice a week this summer. How to do it with flare? We have three tips to help you create the ultimate outdoor gathering.

Ignite your party with fun food

Culinary trends come and go, but one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent years is fondue. The presentation alone is enough to incite a reaction from your guests. "Fondue is one of the most interactive foods you can serve at a party," explains Shirley Evers, Zippo consumer relations manager. "Get creative and involve your guests in the cooking process. Invite them to help you think of new ingredients to mix or dip in the fondue." She suggests setting out different fondue pots on each of your patio or picnic tables. For dipping, be sure to have lots of summer-fresh fruits like berries and pineapple on hand. Your party will be a hit after serving such a memorable treat.

Add a flickering orange flame

After the sunset, you don't want your guests tripping over tree stumps or garden hoses because the path is not properly lit. Using citronella candles, oil-filled tiki torches and hanging lanterns is an easy and creative solution. "To complete your evening soirée, try a walkway of twinkling luminaries," suggests Evers. "Add festive cutouts on your bags and a 15-hour votive nestled in damp sand. Light the candles effortlessly by using the Zippo Mini MPL multi-purpose lighter, which has an adjustable flame and works upside down."

Get a VIP tour from the best in cooking and entertaining

Ever wonder how that cheesecake looks so flawless in your cookbook? Well, you and three friends will learn the secrets and rub elbows with the chefs of the Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) Test Kitchen -- enter the Zippo Summer Inspiration Sweepstakes at www.zippoinspirations.com. A three-day, four-night stay in Des Moines and a VIP tour of the BHG 5,000-square-feet kitchen is the destination for all celebrated epicures or wannabes. You'll get to play "food critic" for recipes that will only be published with your nod of approval. "The Test Kitchen is filled with ideas you can incorporate into your own home to create the ultimate setting for dining and entertaining," says Evers.

With 5,000 recipes tested each year, the Summer Inspiration Sweepstakes winners will enjoy a VIP experience. Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen Director Lynn Blanchard promises, "This is a kitchen people will remember -- it's an experience. You'll walk in and feel like you've been to Better Homes and Gardens." To enter the sweepstakes, visit www.zippoinspirations.com. The contest runs now through July 31, 2006.

Here's a tasty recipe you may want to try:

Chocolate Fondue

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur, optional

Pour cream into a double boiler or metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat back to a simmer; add chocolate and amaretto. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to a fondue pot. Use a Zippo Mini MPL multi-purpose lighter to light the burner or candle under the fondue pot to keep the chocolate at a consistent temperature. Feel free to add additional ingredients to the chocolate fondue, such as nuts, peanut butter, marshmallows or crumbled graham crackers. Serve with bite-sized pieces of apples, bananas, strawberries, pound cake, cookies and pretzels.

Copyright © 2006, ARA Content