Q. I'm hosting a get together with some of the women I work with next week. What would be a great signature drink to serve that will make me the talk of our cubicles?
A. The key to a great party drink is the balance between simplicity and uniqueness. You don’t want to spend a lot of time having to prepare the drinks, or worse yet stand there continuously making them while all your girlfriends are having a great time. You want to be the host, but you also want to participate. Nothing is worse than missing your own party. I recommend drinks that you can make in a batch before hand, and then have a self serve station where they can make their own. The nice part about a self serve station is that you can have a signature drink item, but then also have ingredients where they can make their own. Be as creative as you wish with this, as the season’s change, so should your drink ideas. Here is one that is a guaranteed hit and will make you the talk of the cubicles (for the right reason).
X- Rated Cosmo:
1.5 oz X- Rated Vodka
1 oz Pama Pomegranate Liqueur
.5 White Cranberry Juice
Garnish with a raspberry and sugar rim
So in this case you can premix the Vodka, Pomegranate, and Cranberry Juice. If you want to make an entire batch with a 750ml of X-Rated, then use approximately 2/3 of a bottle of Pama, and half of a bottle of cranberry juice. This is a martini, so it should be pretty strong… but with the flavors you will never know it and should make for some interesting conversations. You can also prep the glasses by buying a pack of plastic martini glasses from any party store. Now the key to rimming a plastic glass is taking an orange and squeezing it directly into the sugar. This will make an extremely stick solution, rim the glasses with the mixture then place them in a freezer to harden.
To make it fun, put out ice in a nice bucket with a shaker and allow them to “make” their own drinks. You can also put out raspberries as a garnish and for an extra kick, provide a bottle of champagne. This will allow the ladies who may not be drinkers to enjoy a beverage as well. They can also mix up a little cocktail with the Champagne and top it with the raspberry liqueur and a raspberry!
Q. When I go out with someone for the first time, I like to order a really fabulous drink. Unfortunately about the only thing I can come up with is a Cosmo. What's a great cocktail that I can order that will impress my date?
A. Dear reader concerned with what other people think about her,
This is a ridiculous question. What a person orders means nothing about who they are. True, if I am meeting with a client and they order a pina colada with extra whipped cream and an umbrella, it will raise some questions in the back of my mind. But as for you only ordering a cosmo and wanting something different, I don’t have an answer. I can tell you to order a Perfect Manhattan with Booker’s which will make you look “fabulous”… unfortunately you will most likely choke on the first sip which would not be “fabulous”. If you like cosmos, stick with them or drinks like them. This way if you try one, you may not like it, but it won’t be so different that you can’t even force it down (like the smile you most likely will fake during that first date). Try specific vodkas, flavors, or twists. Instead of ordering a “Cosmo”, try a “Square One Cosmo with a Champagne Float”. Same drink as you always order, but by specifying you are taking it to a whole new level.
Q. Is organic liquor really any different?
A. It depends on who you ask. I am a huge fan of everything organic, I feel like additives take away from the taste and development of any product whether it be food or drink. There are some facts about organic alcohol that I can state without being biased. Most people who try organic wine, beer, or liquor say that the taste is purer, cleaner, and crisper. The only thing you want to watch are how they are flavored… by true infusion or with flavorings. This can be the difference between a crisp, fresh taste and a feeling like you are drinking a bath and body works hand lotion. The true difference is that organic beverage base (grapes, barley, hops, apples) used in the fermentation process do not use toxic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers. So it is a healthier choice, leaving unnatural chemicals out of your system and better for the environment too. The downside is that they are more expensive as most organic items are. I would recommend that you occasionally try an organic beverage when the opportunity arises and see if you notice a taste difference.
Q. I just recently added a bar area to my terrace. I want to keep it stalked with all of the necessaries (you never know when you will be entertaining.) What do you recommend to keep my bar stocked up to par?
A. Keep it stocked with whatever you would want to drink. I know my bar, personally, at home is stocked like a wedding bar would be. I am sure to have a vodka, rum, tequila, bourbon, and selection of wines. From there you can build with liqueurs (I recommend starting with triple sec, peach schnapps and apple pucker). You also want to be sure to have non-alcoholic mixers such as juices and soda on hand. The number one most important thing though is ICE. I can’t count how many times I have been to a house where they are making drinks and no ice is available. That is the sign of a true cocktail novice.
The key is to have fun with the bar. It should be a place to relax with friends and family. Buy items that you enjoy and want to drink. If you love frozen drinks, make sure you have a blender. Make sure you have a shaker, a corkscrew, and a bottle opener. If you enjoy mojitos, keep some mint in the refrigerator. Glassware is an important item. If you truly are interested in having a working bar, you want to serve drinks in the correct glasses. This means martini glasses, wine glasses, chilled beer mugs, etc.
My recommendation is to observe when you are out in the bar scene. Instead of just staring at the bartender making your drink - check out behind the bar, brands that you like, bottles that stand out, barware and glassware that people use. Make your bar fit your personality. Finally, your bar needs people. If you spend too much time trying to make it a great bar, you are going to miss the entire point of having a place like it in your home.
Final Though:
When it comes to cocktails, it is all about fun. You shouldn’t stress about what to order or how to make your bar attractive. When it comes to hosting parties, think back to parties that you have had a blast at. What did you like about them? What stood out? Take those memories and make them your own. When it comes to ordering drinks, think about what you like, flavors you enjoy and create something from it. Chances are, the person you are out with has the same thoughts on their mind (unless you are out with me, in which case I apologize in advance). If you eat organic food for health reasons, then you should drink organic alcohol. If you are ordering it to look cool then just remember organic is more expensive when your tab comes at the end of the night and mixing organic vodka with red bull kind of defeats the purpose. If you have a bar in your home, it should be to host friends and family. Don’t become so consumed in the physical bar that you ignore the atmosphere it creates.
If you are looking for any more assistance, please visit my brand new blog at MagicOfMixology.com. Follow us on Twitter: @MagicOfMixology
Ask a question and I’ll be sure to answer it in an upcoming post.
Cheers!
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