#SmallBizSnacks: 4th of July BBQ & Party Must Eats & Drinks!

Fourth of July is always one of my favorite times of year.  First of all, it's my birthday - oh yes I've always been a bit of a firecracker - which means I am basically guaranteed to be near those I love.  Secondly, who doesn't love a summer party? Warm weather, water is often nearby and the summer party food and drink spreads are always my favorites!  My passion for the holiday ramps up even more when I can party patriotically with delicious snacks and sips that fall into the #SmallBizSnacks category, AKA snacks created by genius entrepreneurs!

From S'mores to sassy southern cocktails, today's Small Biz Snacks post takes on a summer party feel as we reveal the items you'll not only want out at your parties next weekend, but that you'll want to include in your picnic basket all season long (and trust me, into the colder months as well).  Get ready to loosen your belt and get your small biz buzz on as we tempt you with our curated pics from mostly Tin Shingle members!

Celebrate the Season & Add These Drinks to your Cooler:

(Clockwise from Left to Right):

Vixen Vodka: It's perfect in summer cocktails and Bloody Marys, it's smooth and it won't burn your throat because it's distilled 5x in one of only a few glass stills in the world, Vixen Vodka is also figure friendly and gluten free.  The product is perfect for cool cocktails like their Sassy Southern Vixen (score the recipe on their website) and the southern entrepreneurs behind the brand are a force to be reckoned with (aren't most southern ladies?) who busted open the centuries old "boys club" of the vodka business world with the launch of Vixen Enterprises in 2010. 

Wine-a-Rita: Frozen wine cocktails that are as easy to make as they are to drink in large quantity   Whether you go for a Peach Bellini, CosmoRita, Blueberry Pomegrante of any of their other flavors, all you need is ice, your favorite wine and a blender.  I personally may declare these a must during our Friday Tin Shingle video conferences.

Drink Chia:  Summertime drinking can't be all naughty. That said I'm not going to lie - my first thought when I began writing about these chia drinks was, "can I add Vixen Vodka to the Honeysuckle Pear Chia drink?  Make a naughty but nice cocktail perhaps?  That said I've decided these thirst quenching and healthy drinks would be best suited for chugging to cool down after beach games or to have on hand in a cooler while laying in the sun.  They're also going to be just as important for "The Morning After" you let loose at a BBQ.  PS - each bottle is only 50 calories!

Chow Time! Click to Buy for your Next Barbeque Today!

(From Clockwise from Left)

Pimento Cheese Spread from Palmetto Cheese: One of our Tin Shingle team members recently described Palmetto Cheese like this: "I don't even know what is but I don't care, it's amazing."  Yes it is amazing.  Her confusion stems from her Midwestern roots.  You see, Pimento Cheese is a southern staple but us Midwesterners were only recently exposed to it when Palmetto Cheese joined the Tin Shingle community.  It was love at first bite (sorry, I had to).  Their devotees are now in the thousands and they sell nationally (and online).  Trust me, you'll want to put this on EVERYTHING from burgers to chips to crackers to just a plain old spoon.

Barry's Tempeh: Health food Sabina? Really?  Here's the deal, Barry's Tempeh doesn't taste healthy, it tastes amazing.  You'll want to cook it up at your next summer party and put it in everything - salads, wraps, on a stick with dipping sauces...Since I discovered him at Smorgarsburg last year, I've looked forward to his booth at every Brooklyn food event I go to.  Lucky for all of you he sells online as well AND he now sells Tempeh Tamales too.  Check out Barry in action creating his tempeh temptations in this video!

Nutty Steph's Chocolate: Growing up on a lake in the country, I've known how amazing S'mores are since I was young.  When I moved to New York City years ago I even attempted to make them on my stove in my first, tiny Brooklyn apartment.  I still love S'mores and make them whenever I return to Michigan in the summer, and this year I'll be making them even better!  How, you ask, can a S'more get even better?  When you replace regular, old, boring Hersey's chocolate with Nutty Steph's Maple Walnut Milk Chocolate or dark chocolate flavors like Lemon Ginger Pecan!  I'm going to call this creation a Sophisticated S'more.

Lady Fortune Cookies Presents Chocolate Covered Oreos: I'm going to do it for our country! I'm going to order these red, white and blue style chocolate-covered Oreos.  I'm not doing it for me I'm doing it for our country.  Firstly: they cost less than some convenience store candies, second of all: they use Belgian chocolates, and most importantly: you're supporting  a brand created by an entrepreneur.  That is definitely a patriotic thing to do.  If that doesn't convince you, just think about milk chocolate covered Oreos.  Enough said!

ComfortSeat: So what do you plop into after you've stuffed your face with all these scrumptious Small Biz Snacks and drinks?  Why the one piece of furniture you will want to cart along to every beach BBQ or summer party: the ComfortSeat.  They're beyond comfy (I take mine to the park on weekends), they're easy to transport, they're basically indestructible and they are mess-proof!  I'd say they are as important as food at your summer parties (and if you bring them with you you're always guaranteed a seat)!

Now go forth and have a safe summer while eating, drinking and lounging in all things Small Biz Snacks!