Lou and I said 'hot dogs, hamburgers, corn, salads, etc'. Talking to my staff, I get the feeling they are more about dinner served outdoors.
Instead of the franks and burgers I have already decided to smoke some ribs. Who doesn't love smoked ribs?? I wanted to do italian sausage and peppers. Ashley, one of my staff, loves loves loves the italian sausage. She's never had it at a cookout, though. Instead, smoked sausage, (what tastes suspiciously like keilbasa) is hugely popular. Corn bread is huge. Potato salad is fine, as long as it's room temperature and made with mustard, eggs and sweet pickle relish. I have no idea where corn on the cob sits. I mentioned baked beans, and was met with 'red beans' as in red beans and rice.
I knew about Creole, Cajun, southern cuisine living in NJ. I had recipes, even before I visited here the very first time, and followed them because I was curious. Most people here have never ventured outside the comfortable culinary box their entire lives. To not have heard of boston baked beans baffles me.
Right now, I plan to do the ribs, italian sausage and peppers and the traditional smoked sausage. I'll do boston baked beans and corn bread. I'll do the tortellini salad and try my best to make an acceptable potato salad that Barbara can eat.
I also bought a wading pool that has a palm tree that rains, three balls, gallons of bubbles, sidewalk chalk and will set up my croquet game.
North meets South, baby