Summer Theme Birthdays

Those who have summer birthdays have an exrta layer of  fun.It's nice to have a birthday in the other three seasons however a summer party  can be an extravaganza .You can have all sorts of fun themes and foods.

Of course a pool party is the ultimate hot weather bah. Kids would love fun finger foods like English muffin pizzas and ice cream sodas. The first is an an easy make , perfect for a small party with five or six little guests. These can be customized to suit everyone's tastes. Have fun toppings like pepperoni and olives on hand along with rotisserie chicken shreds and pineapple chunks. As for the ice cream sodas, you could use Coke (if the moms allow it) and a variety of different ice creams. Kids can add in chocolate chips and sprinkles  for more crunch and fun. If you want to save the ice cream for last then think a sundae bar. Have two or three flavors set up with two toppings, like fudge and salted caramel, along with whipped cream. Make sure there are plenty of toppings like M&M's gummy bears and even cereal like Lucky Charms. A baseball park themed party is also fun. Kids love hot dogs and this  theme is perfect for them. You could also make boxes of popcorn too. target sells cute popcorn boxes if you need them.  Also think  those big pretzels with  mustard too. What to drink? Lemonade is the best bet here. The cake could be a copy of a baseball inflield. Cupcakes can look like baseballs.

One of the classic summer to dos is the drive in movie. This is perfect for teens , tweens and adults. Set up a movie screen in the backyard. Show the  birthday boy's or girl's favorite movie. As for snack bar fare, think burgers loaded with cheese and bacon, along with pickles and onions.Fries are a must here and large batches are easy to make in an air fryer. You could also fry up waffle style in both Idaho and sweet potato varieties. Set up cups of ketchup in cups for dipping.Pizza is another big snack bar  treat. Whip up  several using premade dough for easy baking. Serve plain pizzas and ones with different toppings.Of course popcorn is a must too. Buy bags of buttered flavored corn like Wises or Herr's if there's a large crew coming. If not you can easily make a bucket in the microwave. Soda is important to wash everything down,  however you may also want to get Slushies which can be bought at stores like Acme. This is a hybrid fo juice and ice , perfect for a hot summer's night. Ice cream cake and ice cream cupcakes would be a perfect end to this party along with caramel corn and boxes of such snackbar faves as Raisinettes, Milk Duds and Junior Mints.

Summer parties mean tasty treats and fun. Pick and theme and run with it. Celebrate the day with the best time of year.Q

Food Unifies Us

It cannot be said often enough about how food is a great uniter. Breaking bread allows us to see each other in a different, less confrontational light. We need to have more  socially distanced community dinners and picnics. Coming together over a plate of something is better than having that plate thrown at us.

Of course there should be more discourse however for now we should think of having town or block funded barbecues where law enforcement is invited.If cops  got to see how neighborhoods are , maybe there wouldn't be so much fear - yes fear - and prejudice on their part. Inviting them over for burgers and dogs isn't such a bad idea. They can get ideas about how to patrol and what they're looking at if they know the people. This is also a good concept for churches to follow too. Now that the weather is warmer , gatherings can be held outside to allow for social distancing. Imagine it like a big pot luck where people bring main dishes and sides along with desserts. Other congregations can also be invited. They too can bring different foods, reflecting religious and ethnic backgrounds. Not only is it a chance to come together but try recipes that are out of their comfort zone. Baked mac can be served alongside kugel and falafel. Kids can snack on cotton candy or baklava.  Individual barbecues can be set up for s'mores and toasted marshmallows.

Since cops are also our first responders, we need to remember the efforts and sacrifices they make during this ongoing pandemic. It's nothing to whip up a batch of cupcakes and homemade icing for your town's finest. Make an ice box cake if the weather is too hot. Another idea is sending pizza and prepared meals from your local pizzerias and restaurants. You'll be helping eateries in the area as well as providing a hot lunch or dinner for the force. If you have a neighbor who works on the force, treat them and their families to something, whether a cake or extra spaghetti and sauce.  They'll appreciate the gesture and the fact that you're behind them. As social gathering restrictions get lifted invite them over for a backyard meal. It's a great time to talk and find out about who they are and what's going on in your area. It's also the perfect time to suggest starting mentoring multiracial youth groups and having a police backed baseball or football team. Also tell them what you've seen in town and if there is a need for improvement.

Food will always unite us. If we start a dialogue, then it needs to be over a hamburger or a slice of cake. Eating brings us together - which is what we need right now.