Tips for celebrating the Fourth in sparkling style

Sure, you'll have burgers on the grill this weekend, but if you want to create a Fourth of July party that gets more "oohs" and "aahs" than the fireworks, heed the advice the party planners at Food For Thought in Chicago.

Chef Randall Sabado says you can celebrate our nation's melting pot by adding chicken kebabs, Hoisin beef ribs and grilled lime fajitas to the menu.

Cool guests off with red, white and blue-themed cocktails like Blue Cosmos and Watermelon Daquiris, garnished with blueberry and strawberry skewers, of course.

To add some spark(le) to the beverage selection, mix up a Barefoot Beach Cup. To a pint glass add 1 strawberry, hulled and sliced, 4 grapes, halved, 3 orange slices, 4-5 mint leaves and 3 ounces sour mix. Combine (muddle fruit a bit if you want) and top with 3 ounces sparkling wine.

Add some patriotic colors to the garden with planters of red, white and blue flowers such as red, white and purple wave petunias or Russian sage, coneflower and verbena.

Instead of centerpieces that cost a lot of money and end up getting thrown out after, make a berry trifle (strawberries and blueberries, white cake or angel food cake and whipped cream layered in a tall glass bowl or individual flutes) to add some flair to the table. Tablecloths in solid red or blue also dress up the table and can be reused for other occasions.

If you really want to go the extra mile, consider fun party favors. Instead of buying something, Sabado suggests making the gift interactive. Use a Polaroid camera to take pictures of guests and have everyone decorate their own wooden frame with simple art supplies you can find at any craft store. This is perfect for kids and parents to work together and remember the evening with a great photo.

Downsizing: This weekend you're likely to need a few bags of burger buns. But what about the weeknight when you're just cooking for the two of you. You don't really need a pack of eight now, do ya?

The folks at Chicago-based S. Rosen's bakery have introduced a bun four-pack, perfect for smaller cookouts or times when ice cream cartons and Popsicles overwhelm your freezer.

I generally stick two or three buns in the freezer and don't rediscover them until Thanksgiving (if only I'd wrapped them better I could turn them into dressing.)

With the new four-pack you can stop wasting food and money. The bag reseals, so even if you only use two today, they'll be fresher for sandwiches later in the week.

The buns are available in Klassic Kaiser and Klassic Wheat varieties at local supermarkets for about $1.99.

Feelin' the burn: Sometimes the red that people see on the Fourth of July is on their shoulders, noses or legs.

Serious sunburns need medical attention, but as Sara Noel of Frugal Village reminds us, relief may be as close as your pantry.

First, take some ibuprofen and drink plenty of water to rehydrate your body. To ease the pain, apply vinegar to your skin with a cotton ball, gauze or a soft cloth. You could also soak and lightly wring out a T-shirt to wear if the sunburn is on your upper body or put vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz your skin.

You could also apply milk to your skin with a soft cloth. Whole milk works best, as it's the fat in milk that soothes the burn. Rinse the milk off your skin by taking a cool bath or shower.

Sliced cucumbers, eggplant or mashed strawberries are also said to offer cooling relief. One woman from Georgia mentions that her mom would tear large leaves from a cabbage, place them into a large pot of boiling water just long enough for them to become slightly limp and cool them in the fridge. She'd then apply the cool leaves to sunburned parts.

And if you don't get sunburned, you have the fixings at home for a nice salad.

- Deborah Pankey

• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at (847) 427-4524 or food@dailyherald.com. Listen to her discuss food and restaurant trends on "Restaurant Radio Chicago" from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on WIND 560-AM.