Father's Day BBQs, Graduation Parties, and Anniversary Celebrations

Savor the warm weather and summer celebrations—Father's Day, graduation parties, and wedding anniversaries—with flavorful, globally inspired outdoor barbecues. Tap into your grill's full culinary potential for chic, yet casual events that everyone will enjoy. Photo courtesy Baume & Mercier

Turn your grill area into a versatile outdoor kitchen, from upgraded burgers and franks to Mediterranean-style barbecues. Keep the seating plan simple—picnic tables or small tables and chairs—where friends and family can gather to catch up, reminisce, and snack on dishes hot off the grill, or take a break with chilled drinks after playing lawn sports.

Give dad a break from manning the grill on Father's Day and show him you've learned a thing or two about BBQing from him. For a backyard spin on classic surf-and-turf, grill steaks with savory shrimp-and-vegetable skewers. Show your mastery for charring by letting the steaks become room temperature before they hit the heat. Prepare a few fresh salads beforehand, like a green and yellow bean salad with ricotta salata, and grill some asparagus and endive as smoky side dishes. For drinks, have a selection of chilled whites, rosés, and a few summery reds, like berry-driven zinfandels. In the yard, set up a few lawn games, like bocce, horseshoes, and croquet. Before serving dessert, give dad a special tribute with a short speech about how much he means to you. A watch, like the modern Clifton or the sporty Capeland from Baume & Mercier, is the perfect gift to celebrate being a father. Infused with contemporary elements, yet still iconic, these are great picks for a man who doesn't own dad jeans.

Graduating from college is a major achievement and the first step toward attaining future career goals and dream jobs. Give your grad a watch that will remind him or her of all their hard work—final exams, thesis papers, presentations—and inspire them to always look forward—first business cards, promotions, new jobs. For her, a watch from Baume & Mercier's Linea Collection, with an interchangeable double-wrap strap will get her classic style noticed while adding a dash of individuality. For him, a watch from Baume & Mercier's Classima collection shows ambition and C-level potential for any recent grad. For a memorable graduation day celebration, decorate with whimsical picnic elements, like gingham napkins and wicker baskets filled with flowers. Grill up burgers and hotdogs paired with regional craft beers. Instead of store-bought franks, opt for ones from your local butcher and get creative with your condiments, like bahn mi-inspired spicy mayo. For a crowd-pleasing twist on corn on the cob, blister corn, then rub it with a lime wedge and sprinkle it with chili powder, salt, and Cotija cheese.

Channel romance and celebrate a special wedding anniversary with a late-afternoon outdoor party that lingers well past twilight. String up small lights and place lanterns and candles around the yard, along with freshly cut fragrant flowers and a few potted plants of citronella and marigolds to keep the mosquitos away. For the barbecue, take inspiration from Mediterranean grill specialties, like whole fish easily prepared using a basket, chicken pieces, and lamb chops—that all pair fantastically with old-world bottles of wine and creative, citrusy cocktails. Offer a selection of fresh salads, like an Israeli couscous and tomato salad with arugula pesto, a beet salad with pecorino, and a refreshing Greek salad. Celebrate the anniversary by giving the gift of his-and-her watches, a symbolic token capturing a couple's harmonious past, present, and future together. The Hampton collection from Baume & Mercier represents a marriage of Art Deco design and elegant details ideal for the occasion.

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Ali Wentworth: A comedian thinking Guide for the parties

In the new memoir Ali in Wonderland, comedian Ali Wentworth shares fun stories about growing up as the daughter of the White House social Secretary. Here, she tells F & W Christine Quinlan, as she and husband of George Stephanopoulos talk.

My goal is for simple elegance with mood. No matter, the Group - and we have the gamut family, people, the secret service be protected from must - mean husband and I to talk the same way. We always cooking and served Family-style at a long table - the more crowded, the better. At one point we lived in a brownstone Georgetown and had 100 guests for a dinner buffet. Of course, we could not all with us at the table space, so we had people hunkered down on cushions on the floor of the fire, and in the sit on the stairs, which was a lot of fun.

I'm big on presentation; I can be excessive with decoration. In the summer, I use mussels and wild flowers. the winter is Mercury glass Votives and pine cones; Spring is all of tulips, baby nests with chocolate eggs. My kids love make place cards.

Usually classical or jazz. I really like Rachmaninoff, but do get a little strange at parties. Occasionally, in the summer, I try the grateful dead, but this never works. Sometimes my kids have their music in the CD player in the middle of a party, we suddenly an explosion of Lady Gaga get.

George cooks or I do. We cook together, because we both have a tendency to very alpha in the kitchen. He will change the temperature of the oven on me, or I will tell him that he too thick the onions cut is.

We make no heavy hors d'oeuvres. We, only from Moroccan Spiced nuts or raw food. We have usually cocktails and wines; George is a great wine. Beef Bourguignon or chicken Marbella would like to serve. I recipe for the chicken, but I'm using the silver palate there have my own over the years by using less capers and much more wine. If there is a small group, such as just my friends, I will do a pfefferschnitzel only three on each side in the Pan minutes.

No family, because you get a free pass with them basically. If we a group of people who know each other, not, which have to be hard. But we try to introduce guests, things in common: "Oh, you both take care Orphans…" It is the opposite of, if I over a few of my girlfriends have and there are a lot of red wine, and we laugh hysterical and get in trouble.

When George and I got married, was his side of all political men and Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters. My page was Hollywood people, such as Marisa Tomei. I remember me, arrangement of seats to confuse the pages I thought, it would be interesting for all. I sat next to a Greek nun Mike Nichols.

"When I was five years old, I a have at a tap dance for Henry Kissinger at one of my mother parties." "I remember feeling, Ooh, I like perform."

"I may be a large block of really good Parmesan cheese or, if I equipped for the weekend, a basket with towels and Molton Brown remained SOAP or lotion." moltonbrown.com.

"I am very Waspy." I'm so happy in jeans and a Blazer Ralph Lauren. "I tried to be hip, but it goes against my nature."

"I use many votive candles because rejuvenated people block ads themselves." "I try to keep everything even flowers, very low."$5; westelm.com.

Comedian Ali Wentworth shares secrets of her party. Photo © Ted Sabarese.

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The most popular Gourmet Food for dinner

Gourmet food is refined and elegant kitchen which is great for entertaining guests and dinners. Is rich in flavor, delicious and provides a beautiful aesthetic. In addition, food baskets are an excellent choice for gifts for friends and relatives. There are many types of gourmet foods ranging from simple cheese and smoked meats, crackers and smoked salmon. Decide on the perfect gourmet food depends largely on your palate, as well as the presentation you want.

With its smoky, buttery flavour and smoked salmon is always a favorite and wonderful flavors in any variation. Smoked Norwegian salmon is for those who wish for a strong, smoky flavour and intense. Produced by Norwegians, handsomely trimmed portions of salmon are treated with a mixture of sugar and salt and slowly smoked. The result is a smooth velvet plot thread, a subtly smoky and salty flavor and a nice color peach. For those with the most demanding palates, cutting Balyk salmon fillet is the most exclusive and desired.

In addition, The Hot Norwegian smoked salmon is not only intense but also provides a very rich and flaky texture that melts in your mouth. Hot smoked salmon can be served as a main dish or appetizer and is very different from its counterpart chilled. For its rich nature, this salmon is much thicker and more nutritious than smoked Norwegian salmon.

Conversely, Scottish smoked salmon is tender, delicate and smooth. Ranked as the world's most popular salmon fillet smoked Scottish is less smoky and thinner than Norwegian cuts. Characterized by a pinkish-orange color and delicate meat, the Scottish salmon can be reserved for some of your best entertaining.

Also, dill-rubbed a little-known Scottish salmon Gravadlax is listed as a favorite with many gastronomy shops. This delicacy is becoming increasingly popular around the circuit and gourmet food. The salmon is marinated in a unique blend of salt, sugar, and Dill who is hand-polished, clean and slowly smoked, creating a rich and unique flavor. Best is a mustard-dill sauce.

Although there are numerous varieties of gourmet food, wine and cheese pairings were timeless and traditional parts of the family and gourmet food. Moreover, they are a sophisticated addition to a salmon appetizer or a meal. With over 350 types of cheese, offered by many grocery stores, the options are endless. However, following some simple tips on appropriate combinations will ensure that your Board of cheese is elegant and memorable.

Some of the most popular gourmet cheeses and wines combinations include: Swiss with Sparkling, blue Anti with door, Boursin with Gewurztraminer, Brie with Sweet Sherry, Mild Cheddar with Chardonnay, Strong Cheddar, Feta cheese with Cabernet with Beaujolais, Gouda, Havarti with Riesling with Bordeaux, Muenster, Provolone with Zinfandel with Chardonnay and Gorgonzola with Sauternes.

A dinner is complete without a little sweet. There are several selections of chocolates and desserts to choose from. Provides a decadent Dessert, ending in the evening. Although it is hard to go wrong with any kind of sweet, some of the most popular include: chocolate truffles, Marzipan, Jam Tarts, cakes and mousses.

Gourmet food is a rich, silky and decadent to host a party or send a special gift. Some of the most popular foods include smoked salmon, wine and cheese. Providing an array of these items will not disappoint even the most sophisticated palates.

There are many types of gourmet foods ranging from simple cheese and smoked meats, crackers and smoked salmon. Decide the gourmet food perfect depends largely on your palate, as well as the presentation you want.