Often we wait for a special occasion to have people over. A holiday, a birthday, yada yada. But why not\u2026just because? In Throw This Party!<\/strong>, we\u2019re sharing easy-to-execute shindigs that give you a reason to get together any given Saturday (or hey, why not a Wednesday?). So go on and text the group chat. We\u2019ll bring the wine.<\/em><\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Note: If you are not caught up on Survivor season 50, minor spoilers ahead!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Survivor<\/em>\u2019s 50th season concludes on May 20 and I\u2019m celebrating the only way I know how: gathering friends and shouting at the TV. When they first announced the players a year ago, my nostalgia for the show\u2019s glory days flooded in. I thought of Parvati Shallow, and the Black Widow Brigade, the all-female alliance that flirted their way to victory. (Sorry to the wide-eyed victims.) And Christian Hubicki, who balanced on a narrow perch for five and a half hours, monologuing about exoskeletons and Reuben sandwiches, until he was the last one standing.<\/p>\n So, naturally, I\u2019ve been hosting watch parties every week since the season began, but the two million dollar (courtesy of Mr. Beast himself) ultimate tribal deserves some extra attention. Here\u2019s how I\u2019m pulling it off, so you can host an equally iconic finale watch party, or hey, maybe even an early-season rewatch to fill the void after this season ends.<\/p>\n A tribal council tablescape<\/p>\n Gather all the candles in your house and litter them over your table because, as host Jeff Probst announces at every tribal council, \u201cIn this game, fire represents your life. When your fire\u2019s gone, so are you.\u201d Of course, tiki torches would be a stunning addition, but towering tapered candles are effective. Their flickering light will add an eerie glow to the night, especially if you cut the overhead lights.<\/p>\n The dress code: business Tell friends to wear what they would if they were competing on the island. Take inspiration from these iconic uniforms: Rupert Boneham\u2019s rainbow tie-dye tank, Boston Rob\u2019s Red Sox baseball cap, Phillip Sheppard\u2019s fuchsia underwear (that\u2019s one I wish I could unsee). Another critical accessory is a coconut in hand at all times. If you can\u2019t find the fresh kind (Costco\u2019s usually got them), my coworker Kate Kassin swears by Strange Water.<\/p>\n Plan the menu\u2014that means rice<\/p>\n A classic Survivor<\/em> conundrum: When you win chickens after a reward challenge, do you slaughter them for the meat, or keep them alive for the eggs? The dinner party\u2019s tonight, so we don\u2019t have any time to wait for a hatching. Make these Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken Thighs with a tangy sambal oelek marinade, which can be doubled and put toward tofu (I did this for my vegetarian friends). If you don\u2019t have a Weber, then a grill pan will ensure you get those flame-kissed hatch marks on the stove. No matter how you cook it, this chicken is even better than a rat.<\/p>\n Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n The starch is a no brainer. If there\u2019s one ingredient Survivor<\/em> players have relied on since the beginning, it\u2019s rice. On the show, you\u2019d be cooking in a rusty cast-iron pot, but at home, we\u2019re all in on a rice cooker. Use the rest of the can of coconut milk from the chicken (above) plus water. I like to throw some pieces of ginger in too (like in this recipe). Once it beeps at you, flip the rice upside down onto a large plate and let everyone compete for scoops.<\/p>\n Finally, desperate times call for desperate measures. Have you ever been so ravenous after completing a vertical underwater maze that you\u2019ve looked at a puddle of mud filled with squirming insects, and thought it looked appetizing? Well, it can be\u2014in a dirt cup. Make this fluffy Chocolate Mousse for a Party, then have your guests top it with crushed Oreos and gummy snakes and spiders. You can set a timer for 60 seconds and gobble as much down as you can, like some rewards in the Survivor<\/em> Auction, or avoid the tummy ache. Your choice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\ncasual<\/del> castaway<\/p>\n![\"Coconut](\"https:\/\/assets.bonappetit.com\/photos\/5d1232ca053783058fde180d\/master\/w_1600%2Cc_limit\/Coconut-Grilled-Chicken-Thighs-inline.jpg\"\/)
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