Birthday Drums

[D Livingston]

Found 12 packs of drumsticks on sale last week and picked one up. My daughter's birthday was Friday and she wanted to have a couple of friends over for a bit Saturday for dinner and ice cream cake. After discussion regarding being smart about distancing and eating outside, and putting out hand sanitizer in easy reach, I figured this was a good time for cooking the drumsticks.

Half Jerk, and half chili lime rub (with a boneless breast thrown on for my oldest daughter who won't eat anything with bones in it). Using the vortex with a little apple wood.

Some corn on the Smokey Joe.

And finally the serving setup, with several sauce choices (though I think I'm the only one to use any sauce).

The jerk chicken went the fastest. I have to say that using the vortex to kettle fry up wings and drums has consistently given me the juiciest and tastiest chicken.

On a side note, moving into a new house in the middle of a pandemic kind of stinks. All exited about the new house with a great kitchen and a great patio for entertaining, and we can't entertain. My parents want to come see it but are considered high risk, so they aren't getting out. This is only the second time we've had anybody to the new house (my oldest had a couple of friends hang out on the patio one afternoon for a bring your own picnic). On the plus side, it is a nice patio and the weather was great, so the kids didn't complain about being told to stay outside.

 

[CaseT]

Great looking meal!

Up until the current health fiasco we held a weekly dinner get together with friends rotating houses. Now that doesn't happen anymore. We have had a small group of family members over and all gaterings have been outdoors and byob. We just celebrated my wifes birthday this way. My birthday occurred the first weekend of lock down. Everything was closed and toilet paper was non-existent. Couldn't even make a cake for fear that there would be no flour to make bread!

 

[John K BBQ]

Livingston - very nice looking chicken there! I made some jerk chicken thighs this weekend as well. I have to say homemade jerk is way better than walkers wood in the jar. Not that hard to make either.

I feel your pain on the get togethers. We have some close "inner circle" friends we're hanging out with but we really miss seeing the full compliment of characters we normally hang out with and can't wait for this crap to be over.

BTW - Farcical aquatic ceremonies non-withstanding, I agree, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. This is why we all must vote!

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

I am glad you had enough space for everyone to be spaced safely.
I’m also missing some of the gatherings I usually have! The party for my grandchildren combined with granddaughters graduating was going to be a big do! Ended up just being the six of us.
Had a pulled pork party for graduation regular 6+ great grandmother this last Saturday

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

I’ve been staring at your “mini performer” with the Smokey Joe, I really like that idea, might have to borrow that!

 

[Cliff Bartlett]

Beautiful looking spread and I'm glad you're enjoying your house. I hear you regarding family gatherings. We're still holding out and have not had a single one since this mess started. One son only lives a mile away and another lives about 8 miles away. Our last gathering with family, or anyone, was early in February.

 

[J Grotz]

That's a delicious looking spread, D!

Backyard gatherings have required a few changes this spring and summer. After consulting with my DW's doctors and researching online we came up with a setup that works for us. We have three 9 foot patio umbrellas that we space appropriately around the patio and yard. We also have an L-shaped island with my charcoal grill built in. Our max now is 4 guests, so two couples. The umbrellas define the social distance spaces and provide shade; we strive for 10 feet of space between couples. No buffets anymore. I plate the salad, sides, and main for a couple then step back. Repeat for the other couple and for second helpings. I'm gloved and masked while carving and plating. DW is gloved and masked inside when she preps the salads and sides. All beverages (even water) are BYOB. Because of the bathroom situation, the gatherings are much shorter than years past. Though DW's doctor agreed on an indoor bathroom procedure, no one has used it yet.

The first couple of times are weird. It's really hard not to hug friends and family. It also takes discipline to always mask up before getting near the food. You do get used to it after a while. And it's the best we can do under the circumstances. DW still gets sad that it's not like we used to do until I ask her if she would rather not share a meal with her kids, grand kids and friends at all.

 

[Brad Olson]

Because of the bathroom situation, the gatherings are much shorter than years past. Though DW's doctor agreed on an indoor bathroom procedure, no one has used it yet.

Have you considered implementing an outdoor bathroom procedure?

 

[Clay Neubauer]

That looks awesome. Can't believe some of you are still under such a restriction for backyard get-togethers for anything other than people with a real reason to have immune system deficiencies or something though. Heck when all the restaurants and bars were closed here, all we did was go to our friends' garages or shops or bonfires to drink beer and eat and talk.

 

[Tony-Chicago]

Peeing in the pool still not cool. But I understand

 

[ChuckO]

Nicely done