Looking to add a little deep-south flair to your next backyard party? Nothing says Southern quite like an honest to goodness seafood boil. Any experienced host or hostess knows that the key to a good party is good food, good drinks, and some festive decorations thrown in for good measure. Follow along with us as we give you some handy tips to make your seafood boil a cracking success!
THE HISTORY
What exactly is a seafood boil? Southerners often refer to seafood boils as lowcountry boil, crawfish boil, and even Frogmore Stew. Crawfish boils are often served up in Louisiana, and along the Gulf coast areas of the southern states. Residents of Georgia and South Carolina, often host lowcountry boils, which center around shrimp and can even include ham in their recipes. These are also commonly referred to as tidewater boils, shrimp boils, and Frogmore Stew. Frogmore is a community located on St Helena Island, South Carolina and the residents have been enjoying their Frogmore Stew since the 1960’s. Further north, crab boils can be found in abundance near the areas surrounding the Chesapeake Bay and southern areas of the mid-atlantic states.
THE FOOD
The recipe for a seafood boil can use a variety of shellfish; crawfish, shrimp, crab, (or other seafood of your choice) usually mixed with common vegetables such as potatoes, corn, garlic, along with a good dose of creole type seafood seasoning. The ingredients are typically boiled in a large stock pot, and cooked outdoors over an open fire. However, the ingredients can also be steamed or roasted, and the
method varies by region. Recipes are handed down thru generations of families, often not written down, and range in flavor from mild to spicy hot. Don’t forget to have some condiments on hand so that your guests can flavor their dish to their liking. Common condiments such as hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and melted butter should be supplied on each table. It’s going to get messy, so cover up those tables with newspaper or dress them up with some
lively table coverings. Then, when the ingredients are cooked, and the cooking water has been strained, just toss everything onto the tabletops for your guests to enjoy. In addition to covering your tables, you’ll want to certainly supply your guests with plates and plenty of extra napkins to mop up all of that delicious melted butter. After the food is eaten, and the tables are cleaned, don’t forget to add a few crawfish boil table decorations to remind your guests that the party isn’t over yet.
THE REFRESHMENTS
Of course, eating some spicy food on a hot summer day will surely require some cold drinks to wash it all down. Use an
inflatable party cooler to keep bottled and canned drinks within easy reach. Mix up an ample supply of homemade lemonade and sweet tea and serve in pretty drinking containers to keep your guests refreshed. The casual atmosphere of a low country boil is one to be enjoyed by guests of all ages and mixing in some crawfish boil party decorations will help your event stand out from the average backyard barbeque.
THE FESTIVITIES
After filling up on all of that great food, try playing some fun yard games, such as croquet or badminton. When the sun goes down, and the stars come out, turn up the Cajun style music, and jump out onto the impromptu dance floor. Hang some paper lanterns and crepe streamers from the trees to section off an area of the party for dancing. Supply the little ones with lidded jars and send them out into the open fields to catch fireflies (just make sure they release them before bedtime). It’s timeless traditions such as these, that can be passed down generation after generation.
Guests young and old love to celebrate, and eventually every good party must come to an end. If you follow just some of these suggestions, your seafood boil will be the highlight of the summer season. If you’re looking for decorations for crawfish boils, the great variety of
crawfish party supplies found at Partycheap will certainly help make your party stand out from the rest!
