Our coastal climate means not every evening in Sonoma County is a warm one. Take full advantage of the season with some easy cocktails that serve a crowd and some delicious food ideas, too! We have a lot of great summer entertaining supplies on sale this week, so be sure to check out our weekly ad as you plan your menu and beverage options.

Note: All prices in effect from June 22-28, 2022 at all our Oliver’s Market locations.

The Outdoor Venue

Bring your patio back to life after its seasonal hiatus with a few easy steps and enjoy the results of your efforts! A quick clean up, a few strings of sparkly lights, and a couple of fresh pillows or cushions can get you off to a great start! Add some candles, lanterns, or colorful potted plants for extra impact. Bring your music outside to create the right mood with a Bluetooth/wireless speaker or two.

The Beverages

The best summer cocktails are as simple to make as they are refreshing, and even more fun to share. Have a plan for chilling down bottles and cans of beers and soft drinks and set up a drink station outside. A great way to keep cocktails easy and delicious is to create batch cocktails that serve a group. Need inspiration? How about this Non-Alcoholic Blueberry Lemonade Margarita, Strawberry Lemonade Spritzer, or Watermelon Rhum Punch?

The Food

For appetizers or grazing, a great entertaining tip is to buy most of what you serve ready to eat and/or assemble (hello, cheese board!), and then make only one or two items from scratch.

A nice summer appetizer that takes full advantage of the season is this Nectarine and Goat Cheese Crostini. Don’t forget all of the ready-to-eat goodies you will find in our Deli Department and in our Grab and Go section. From Deviled Eggs to Seven Layer Dip and house-made Oliver’s Own Hummus and Salsa, Oliver’s has you covered!

Grilling is a key piece of summer patio party enjoyment, and our Weekly Ad will truly be worth watching this summer to find your best values on meat and seafood. A couple of suggestions taking advantage of this week’s ad might be Mango Glazed Baked Chicken Breasts or Seared Salmon Salad. Once you have your protein lined up, you can either make or pick up sides, or even ask your guests to each bring a side or a dessert.

Celebrate summer easily and safely outdoors with friends and family, and take some time to enjoy the bounty of the season!