Low Country Boil Party Ideas
In the regions along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, a low country boil is a popular dish to serve at a party. Comprised mostly of potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage and seafood, the one-pot dish can easily be made to serve a large crowd. Does this Spark an idea?
Invitations
Although many low country boil parties are casual events to which guests are invited by word of mouth, there are a number of creative invitations you can send guests for a low country boil party. Websites such as Invitation Consultants sell low country boil invitations in a variety of styles, all of which allow you to have the details of the party printed onto the invitation.
If you would like to make your own low country boil invitations, work with red and white checkered patterns, pictures of the types of food you plan to cook in the low country boil and baskets of flowers. Include the details of the party like the time, date, location and RSVP information.
Decorations and Setup
If your low country boil party is happening during mild weather, the best place to have it is outdoors. Picnic tables or folding tables and chairs are perfect for seating areas, and can be decorated to reflect the casual atmosphere. For a more formal party, consider an indoor setting with guests seated at circular tables so they can all reach the food in the center.
Decorate the table with checkered tablecloths in red or blue, and consider buckets of daisies or other seasonal flowers as centerpieces. To serve the food, dump it directly onto the table and let people take what they want with their hands. If your tablecloth is not waterproof, laying down newspaper can help protect the table from moisture.
Food
The highlight of a low country boil party is the food. Although some variations exist, the main idea is that a number of different ingredients are boiled together in the same pot of seasoned water, then strained before being served. If you cannot afford to purchase all the ingredients, consider having a potluck-style party where each guest brings a certain number of pounds of one of the ingredients.
Some of the most popular foods to put in a low country boil are quartered new potatoes, rounds of smoked sausage, 3-inch pieces of corn on the cob, shrimp and Old Bay seasoning. Other ingredients can include onions, crab legs and lobster. Bread is commonly served on the side.
Prepare about 1 lb. of low country boil per person, unless side dishes are being served as well, in which case it can be as little as 1/2 lb. per person. A low country boil can be made on the stove, but for an outdoor party, prepare it on a gas burner in a large pot, similar to one used to deep fry turkeys.
Tags: country boil, country boil, boil party, being served, boil invitations