Backyard Bash

Welcome to summer! Welcome to long days, to ice cream cones melting down our arms, and to fireflies at sunset. Welcome to easy meals quickly grilled outdoors and eaten while lounging at picnic tables. Welcome to our first ever Simply Recipes digital issue — our tribute to the backyard bash.

A backyard bash is what you make it, we think. There is no prescribed maximum or minimum number of attendees. You're allowed to call it a bash whether it's four friends gathered around a fire pit or a full-fledged 4th of July party with extended family, neighbors, and dozens of children parading underfoot. You can have the grill going, or you can simply lay out a potluck and a stack of plates. You don't even need a backyard, really! Have your bash on your balcony or front stoop or open garage door — as long as you're outdoors, it counts.

Gaby Dalkin, our cover star, knows all about keeping it easy-breezy when it comes to backyard parties. We're so grateful to her for sharing her Mediterranean-inspired menu as well as her philosophy on outdoor entertaining. If you often find yourself cooking for mixed groups of vegetarians and meat-eaters, check out British grill master Genevieve Taylor's deep dive into the omnivore's grill. Do you live for dessert? Baker and cookbook author Cheryl Day shares her memories of summers in the South, plus three desserts for your summer gatherings.

We editors at Simply Recipes have been working on these stories for months, and we're so excited to finally share them with you. Go ahead — kick off your shoes, pour yourself a lemonade, and spend some time with us planning your next backyard bash.

—Emma Christensen, Associate General Manager, and Ariel Knutson, Editorial Director

Gaby Dalkin in Her Own Backyard

Ariel Knutson writes, "When I opened the gate to Gaby Dalkin’s backyard it felt like I had found the hidden key to the Los Angeles version of “The Secret Garden.” It’s not that her backyard is enormous or teeming with prize-winning roses, but it’s the kind of place you could have people over every day for the rest of your life and it would always feel magical."

Read the Story: Gaby Dalkin in Her Own Backyard

Gaby's Grilling Menu

Fried Polenta Panzanella

Grilled Halibut with Calabrian Chile Gremolata

Limoncello Yogurt Popsicles

Genevieve Taylor's Omnivore's Grill

Genevieve Taylor writes, "For me, a good barbecue has never been about cooking and eating my way through a whole heap of different meats with a limp excuse for a salad on the side. While I love good meat as much as the next carnivore, I find the breadth of colors and textures you get from vegetables to be way more exciting.

"The trick is to embrace the whole omnivorous experience, layering up ingredients to maximize the wow factor and flavor hit of your dishes—here’s how I do that at home."

Read the Story: Genevieve Taylor’s 4 Essential Grilling Tips for the Omnivore

Recipes for an Omnivore's Grill

Smoked Cauliflower with Spiced Butter and Peanut Sauce

Smoked Spatchcocked Harissa Chicken with Carrots

Grilled Broccolini with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Summers in the South With Cheryl Day

Cheryl Day writes, "The summer season has always been my favorite time of year. As a young girl growing up in Los Angeles, I spent most afternoons in my bare feet jumping in and out of swimming pools and eating more than my share of ice cream with friends. My sister and I both celebrated our birthdays in June and we always had the best parties in the neighborhood. But what I looked forward to most of all was our annual road trip to visit family down South. It always felt like such an adventure and I treasured the memories we created upon our arrival at my grandmother Hannah’s house. 

"My mom was a part of the great migration, when millions of pioneering Black folks left the American South for cities where they’d heard whispers of equal opportunities for all. She wanted to make sure that we stayed connected with our Southern roots and her way of doing this was always through food. Her efforts would have a lasting impact on how I carried on the legacy of my family."

Read the Story: How Cheryl Day Celebrates Summers in the South

Cheryl Day's Summer Bakes

Blueberry Icebox Pie

Bourbon Peach Hand Pies

Raspberry Chess Pie Bars

A Matter of Paste

Myo Quinn writes, "This time of year, I like to grill as often as possible. But I also want to lazily mosey around in the summer heat, so quick-and-easy grilling recipes that don’t require advanced preparation are ideal. Enter simple pastes—highly flavorful mixtures of oil, spices, and fresh aromatics—for slathering on meat (and even vegetables) right on the grill with no need to marinate it in advance.

"Don’t get me wrong—brines, marinades, and dry rubs are great for adding flavor. But the meat needs to marinate for the flavors to come through, and that takes time, sometimes a while. With a paste, you can grill at a moment’s notice. We’ll show you how! Then, head outside and fire up the most talked-about cookout of the summer—it’s just a matter of paste."

Read the Story: Pastes are the Secret to Quick and Easy Grilling

Put Your Pastes To Work

Grilled Pork with Adobo

Grilled Shrimp with Masala Paste

Gochujang Chicken