Great Escape: Farmers Market Barbecue

Friends and food help make the dog days of summer a little easier to manage.  Although we don’t actually need a holiday to call upon friends to bring dish and drink, sometimes the barbecue basics -- hamburgers, slaw, potato salad, beans -- just get a little dull.

Try a new twist on your next barbecue picnic. Grab a friend and make a plan. Take your favorite comfort foods cookbook, a great little entertainment guide (a friend recently gave me The Get ‘Em Girls’ Guide to the Perfect Get Together) or even the latest issue of Cooking Light or Everyday with Rachael Ray. 

Select recipes that create a picnic to remember from spritzers to dessert. Photo copy a recipe for each invitee, but let guests know that ingredient substitutions are welcome if some can’t be found or to accommodate vegetarians, etc.

Next, the girls get to shop! Local farmers markets offer a wide variety of fruits, veggies, bread and even meats and herbs. Toss in some Martha Stewart flare for theme and décor and your creative new picnic provides a summer escape for all your guests.

Here are some local farmers markets to shop:

Lilburn- Fridays 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Downtown, Railroad Avenue

Snellville- Saturdays 8 a.m.– noon, City Hall Town Green.

Chamblee Tucker- Saturdays 9 a.m.- noon, Northeast Baptist Church.

Decatur’s Farmers Market- 9 a.m.- noon, 163 Clairemont Avenue Bank of America.

The southern splendor of farmers markets, good friends and a barbecue menu that Paula Deen would find crave worthy. There ain’t no better way to spend an evening, ya’ll!