Whether you are entertaining special guests, or simply enjoying a quiet evening at home with close friends and family, you want to serve the best cocktails and beverages for the occasion.
First of all, let’s consider what types and kinds of liquor a well-stocked at-home bar should include. Make sure you have a cabinet that will keep your liquor out of the sunlight as it will keep forever in the dark. You should have tequila, vodka, bourbon, rum, gin, wine and cognac as well as red and white vermouth, cointreau, and bitters. When purchasing quantities, figure on three drinks per guest. Don’t forget to provide some non-alcoholic beverages for your guests who do not drink and for mixing, such as tomato and orange juices, ginger ale and cola soda pop as well as Tobasco, lemons and limes. Make sure you have lots of ice. If you can afford to hire a bartender, you will be able to spend more time with your guests.
For equipment you need a jigger, bar spoon, ice bag, cocktail shaker, strainer and ice cube trays. If you don’t have a built-in bar, hopefully you can set up your drink-mixing area close to a refrigerator. You need to have at least eight glasses as well, in three different styles, including short, tall and stemware for serving wine.
A Mojito is a popular cocktail.Here’s the recipe and method:
½ fresh lime
10 to 12 fresh mint leaves
3 tsp brown sugar
50 ml golden rum
Soda water
Chop the lime into wedges and drop into a tall glass. Mix together sugar and mint, then add rum and fill to top with crushed ice. Fill up with soda water and garnish with more mint.
Surprise your guests with an Adam and Eve, which consists of one shot of gin topped with white wine, then embellished with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s truly amazing and will create lots of appreciative comments.
Here’s the recipe for the classic Margarita:
½ oz. Cointreau
1½ oz. Tequila
Coarse salt
Juice of ½ large lime
Mix Cointreau and Tequila with lime juice and ice in a blender. Rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with a piece of lime and dip the rim in a saucer of salt. Strain the mixture into glass and garnish with a thin slice of lime. Many more recipes can be found at http://www.thatsthespirit.com/en/drinks/default.asp
You should be sure to serve food along with your alcoholic beverages. Some great ideas include chips, nuts, olives, biscuits, crackers and hors d’oeuvres.
For those with a sweet tooth, you might plan one or two dessert-type items too. When planning quantities, figure six bites per person. You might have food left over, but that’s better than running out! No one expects a meal at a cocktail party, which usually lasts about two to three hours at the most.
It’s a great occasion that allows you to invite an eclectic mix of guests, people who haven’t met before but who you think might enjoy getting to know each other. As it’s not a family event, you don’t have to make provisions for children. Make sure you have taxi company phone numbers ready to use in case guests overindulge, and be sure to serve coffee as the evening closes. Look ahead on your calendar for a good occasion to host a cocktail party and start writing your guest list now. With a little careful planning, you will host an event that everyone will remember for a long time to come!
