by Anna Post
Wine: White wine is served in a glass with a tulip-shaped bowl. The bowl of a red wineglass is rounder and wider than that of a white wineglass. If you’re on a budget, an 11-ounce, all-purpose glass will work for red and white wine, spritzers, wine punches, even sparkling water. Choose a shape in between the narrow white wineglass and the balloon-shaped red.
Champagne: If you’re a real fan, flutes are the way to go. But if you have your grandmother’s old-fashioned Champagne coupes and want to use them, why not?
Rocks or Old-Fashioned: This is a short tumbler, usually holding 5 to 10 ounces.
Highball: A tall tumbler, this 8- to 14-ounce glass will accommodate mixed drinks, beer, soda, water, or iced tea.
Pint or Pilsner: These are classics for serving beer. The pint is a tall tapered tumbler, wider at the top than the bottom, holding a pint of liquid. A Pilsner, named for the beer, is a tall, narrow, tapered, and footed glass that usually holds less than a pint.
Martini: A classic Y shape, the modern-day glass is available in sizes ranging from a demure 6 ounces to a whopping 16 ounces. Remember: A martini is to a martini glass as Champagne is to a Champagne flute. Serving one in anything else doesn’t quite cut it!
Nice, but not critical:
Margarita: A shallow, widemouthed glass on a sturdy stem, typically holding 10 to 12 ounces. True aficionados feel about the margarita glass the way martini and Champagne drinkers feel about their special glasses.
Sherry: A 4- to 6-ounce small wineglass, it’s also great for aperitifs like Campari or Lillet, or liqueur-based drinks.
Shot: Not really appropriate for the cocktail party (savor, savor, savor) except to serve single malt whiskey neat.
* * *
To Stem or Not to Stem—That Is the Question...
Until recently, all serious wineglasses came with stems—the idea being that a wineglass is held by the stem rather than by cupping the bowl, so the temperature of the wine isn’t affected by the warmth of your hand and icky-smeary fingerprints aren’t transferred to the glass. Then along came the stemless wineglass, popularized by a line introduced by Reidel in 2003. This is really a case of “everything old is new again”: In France and Italy, regular everyday wine is just as likely to be served in a tumbler as in a wineglass—and what is a stemless wineglass but an upmarket, crystal version of its glass cousin? On the plus side, stemless glasses are less likely to tip over, and they can go—and fit—in the dishwasher.
On the negative side, you have to cup them in your hand, which may put them out of the running for white wines and makes smeary fingerprints a given. And then there’s the whole issue of how they look on your table. Some people just love the drama and height created by stemmed glasses. There’s no right or wrong here; your taste and preference is what counts.
* * *
Top Five Cocktails Everyone Should Know How to Make
Mimosa
Makes 1 drink
2 ounces juice of your choice: fresh orange or blood orange, pomegranate, or passion fruit
4 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine
Pour the juice into a flute and top with the Champagne or sparkling wine.
Note: If you use white peach juice, it’s called a Bellini, made famous by Harry’s Bar in Venice. Regular peach juice also works just fine. Anna loves mimosas of all kinds, but one of her favorites uses elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain.
Martini
Makes 1 drink
3 ounces dry gin (the classic!) or top-quality vodka
1 teaspoon dry vermouth
Ice, for shaking
Lemon twist or olive, for garnish
Pour the gin or vodka and vermouth into a shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.
“Top-Shelf” Margarita
Makes 1 drink
1½ ounces 100% agave reposado tequila or high-quality mescal
Juice of ½ lime
1 ounce Grand Marnier
1½ ounces Simple Syrup (page 112)
Shake all ingredients together and pour over ice into a salt-rimmed glass. Or serve up by shaking with ice and straining into a salt-rimmed margarita or martini glass.
* * *
Frosting Rims
1. Rub a citrus wedge along the rim of the glass or dip the rim in water.
2. Now dip the rim into a shallow bowl of salt or sugar.
Note: Colored sugars can be a fun way to dress up cocktails.
* * *
Uncle Mac’s Cosmo
Divine! Makes 1 drink
Lime wedge
2 ounces Ketel One Citron Vodka
1 ounce triple sec
1 ounce Rose’s lime juice
1½ ounces cranberry juice
Ice, for shaking
Squeeze the lime into a martini glass. Leave the squeezed lime in the glass. Pour the vodka, triple sec, lime juice, and cranberry juice into a shaker. Add the ice and shake. Strain and pour into the glass over the lime.
Bloody Mary
Makes 1 pitcher or 8 drinks
16 ounces vodka
32 ounces tomato juice or Clamato juice
8 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
8 dashes Tabasco
Ice
Lemon or lime slice or leafy celery stalk, for garnish
Combine the vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in a pitcher. Stir and pour into tall glasses filled with ice and garnish.
For a Bloody Maria, substitute tequila for vodka and definitely garnish with a lime slice.
Note: For a party, especially for a brunch, make a pitcher of Bloody Marys without the vodka—called a Bloody Shame—so friends who want to skip the alcohol can enjoy them, too. Just add the vodka as you pour each drink.
And a Few Extras...
The Lemon Drop
A variation on the martini. Makes 1 drink
1½ ounces vodka
¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Simple Syrup (page 112)
Ice, for shaking
Lemon twist, for garnish
Pour the vodka, lemon juice, and syrup into a shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into chilled martini glasses and garnish with the lemon twist.
Note: You can also rim the glass with sugar (see Frosting Rims, page 109).
Manhattan
Makes 1 drink
2½ ounces rye or bourbon
1 ounce sweet vermouth
Ice, for shaking
Lemon twist or maraschino cherry, for garnish
Pour the rye or bourbon and sweet vermouth into a shaker. Add ice and shake. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist or a cherry.
Note: These can also be made by the pitcher.
Gin and Tonic
Makes 1 drink
2 ounces top-quality dry gin
4 ounces tonic water
Ice
Lime wedge, for garnish
Pour the gin and tonic into a tall, ice-filled glass. Stir and garnish with the lime wedge.
* * *
Suggested Reference Books
Artisanal Cocktails,
by Scott Beattie
Southern Cocktails: Dixie Drinks, Party Potions, and Classic Libations,
by Denise Gee
The Ultimate Bartender’s Guide,
by Fred DuBose
* * *
* * *
A TIP FROM LIZZIE
SIMPLE SYRUP
An ingredient in many cocktails, simple syrup is nothing more than liquid sugar, necessary because granular sugar doesn’t dissolve well in alcohol. It’s easy to make and keeps well in the fridge in a tightly sealed bottle for up to one month. It can be flavored with fruits, herbs, and spices. It’s also great for sweetening lemonade, iced tea, and iced coffee.
1 cup water, 1 cup sugar
Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar until it’s completely dissolved. Let cool, pour into a clean bottle or jar, seal tightly, and store in the fridg
e for up to 1 month.
* * *
And Other Beverages
Wine, beer, and cocktails may get a lot of play, but they aren’t your only beverage options. Water (both sparkling and still), juices, spritzers, punch, mulled wine or cider, and hot or iced coffee and tea should round out your repertoire.
H2O. It’s customary to serve water, either still or sparkling, with lunch or dinner. Use tap or bottled water depending on your water quality. You don’t have to go with a fancy, imported variety either—sparkling water produced locally may not have the same cachet as imported, but it’s easier on the pocketbook and on the carbon footprint.
Juices. Fruit or tomato juices are traditionally served at breakfast and brunch. Go for fresh-squeezed juice whenever you can. There’s a rainbow of color and flavor out there: pomegranate, cranberry, orange, mango, guava, papaya, apple, pineapple, grape, and grapefruit, to name a few.
Spritzers. Even the name sounds fun! Mix wine, fruit juice, or syrups with sparkling water for a refreshing pick-me-up.
Punch—grown-up style. You loved it as a kid; now it’s all grown-up. Our favorites are sangria and Pimm’s Cup. For a nonalcoholic version, mix fruit juices, cut-up fruits, and sparkling water, and top with a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon or lime. (See recipe, page 114.)
Hard lemonade or cider. Alcoholic versions of these two classics are popular on hot summer days.
Mulled cider or wine. Hot spiced cider or wine will quickly warm up fall and winter parties. Make your own spice mix (cloves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel are a nice combination) and invest in a supersized tea ball for steeping.
Lemonade and iced tea. In the summer, big pitchers of lemonade, iced tea, or Southern-style sweet tea are front and center at all of our parties. Homemade is best, and honey adds a different kind of sweet. Some guests like to make an Arnold Palmer—half lemonade, half iced tea—while others make lemonade spritzers with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs.
Coffee and tea. Whether hot or iced, coffee and tea are staples at every meal. Offering guests a cup of coffee or tea is a gesture of welcome the world over.
BEVERAGES TO SERVE WITH MEALS
Breakfast: Coffee, tea, cocoa, milk, freshly squeezed fruit juices, tomato juice
Brunch: Coffee, tea, milk, fruit juices, tomato juice, soft drinks, iced tea, sparkling water, white wine, beer, Bloody Marys, mimosas
Tea: Tea (hot or iced), coffee (hot or iced), sherry
Dinner: Still or sparkling water, aperitifs, wines, beer, coffee, tea, after-dinner drinks
Pimm’s No. 1 Cup
According to Wikipedia, this is the original recipe. Makes 1 drink
1 part Pimm’s No. 1
2 to 3 parts lemonade
Borage leaves, mint leaves, and lemon, orange, strawberry, and apple slices
Into a tall glass over ice, pour the Pimm’s and the lemonade. Infuse with borage leaves, mint leaves, and slices of lemon, orange, strawberry, and apple.
Note: Popular variants include using half lemonade and half lemon-lime soda, or using just ginger ale and garnishing with a cucumber slice.
Red Sangria
Serves 4 to 6
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup brandy
1 cinnamon stick
1 bottle light-bodied dry red wine
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 small orange, sliced into thin rounds
1 green apple, thinly sliced
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
Bring the water, sugar, brandy, and cinnamon stick to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let steep, cooling to room temperature. Add the remaining ingredients and chill. Serve cold, over ice if you like.
Photographic Insert
Invitations. Printed, handwritten, or fill-in, the invitation reveals the style of your party. Be as creative as you wish with shapes, colors, fonts, and images. Invitations also serve as keepsakes from your party, a delightful reminder of a wonderful time!
Place cards. Place cards let your guests know where to sit at the table. Think beyond the traditional cream or white tent card. Tags in a variety of shapes and colors can be attached to pears or pinecones. Write directly on seashells, mini pumpkins, or tiny flowerpots. Prop the cards against holiday ornaments. A place card can also double as a favor or gift for guests to take home when paired with a picture frame or a sweet treat.
Simple place setting. From left to right, this simple place setting includes a salad fork, dinner fork, plate, dinner knife (with blade set toward the plate), and a dessert spoon. Glasses (water, left, and wine, right) are set at about a 45-degree angle above the knife. Here, the napkin is folded decoratively on the plate.
Formal place setting. Formal place settings lend grace and utility to more elaborate meals. As with a simple setting, use only what is needed for the courses served. Additional elements include a place card, bread plate, butter knife, soup spoon, salad knife, dessert fork, and spoon set at the top of the place setting, and a second wineglass.
Three simple centerpieces. Centerpieces are all about artistry and creating a mood for your meal. Candlelight is cozy and intimate. Displays from nature, such as fruit, branches, river rocks, or beach glass can be whimsical or elegant, simple or elaborate. Flowers are the most popular option and offer so many ways to express your personal style. Wow your guests with a stunning, classic floral centerpiece or delight them with a more modern look—tiny bouquets or individual blossoms at each place.
Four simple flower arrangements. Keep it simple by using just one type of flower, or experiment with a burst of different colors and textures for a big impact. So guests can see each other across the table, save tall arrangements for side tables and front halls. And don’t forget the powder room—a lovely place to find a posy.
Wineglasses. Wineglasses come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention styles. If your glasses have nontraditional shapes, use the larger, rounder ones for water and red wine, and the smaller ones for white wine and aperitifs. Stemless glasses are the modern version of the classic wine tumbler used throughout France.
Barware. Simple and elegant barware turns any drink into party fare. A good set includes, from left to right, margarita, highball, pilsner, martini, and old-fashioned glasses. Add bar basics such as an ice bucket and tongs, a jigger, and a martini shaker along with fun cocktail recipes and you’ll be shaking and stirring in style.
Jewelry for cocktails. Garnishes such as rimming sugar or salt, citrus peels, slices of fresh fruit, onions and olives, small edible flowers or herbs are a surefire way to turn simple cocktails and punches into something special for your guests. Left to right: classic martini and olive, Pimm’s champagne punch with rose petal, manhattan with cherry, blood orange mimosa with mint sprig (back), salt-rimmed fresh juice margarita on the rocks with lime slice (front). Don’t forget coasters.
Cocktail snacks and hors d’oeuvres. A simple offering of hors d’oeuvres whets the appetite for the meal to follow. Offer a variety of tastes and textures to satisfy different palates, and choose hors d’oeuvres that can be eaten with one hand and in one or two bites. Leaving the green stems on radishes makes them more visually appealing (and easy finger food). Olives and nuts are favorites at any party. Meats and cheeses, accompanied by honeys, jams, mustards, tapenades, and specialty breads, round out a great hors d’oeuvres table.
Charcuterie. Charcuterie is French for cured meats. Offering a selection of salumi, prosciutto, soppressata, cappicola, and pâtés with a few accompaniments such as cornichons, caper berries, mustards, and grilled breads allows guests to mix, match, and try new flavors.
Cheese plate. Cheese is a favorite before and after dinner, or as a course on its own. Offer a selection from one or a variety of milks, and an assortment from mild to sharp in flavor and soft to hard in texture. Fruits, nuts, marmalades, and honeys make great accompaniments.
Cupcakes. Loved by all ages and perfect for any occasion from
children’s birthdays to wedding showers, cupcakes offer endless variety. Dress them up and serve them individually on dessert plates to cap off a formal dinner party, adding a whimsical, lighthearted touch.
Part Two
It’s Party
Time!
Chapter Nine
Classics with a Twist
Cocktails and cocktail parties are back in style. The martini, the cosmo, the manhattan, and the simple gin and tonic are fast becoming part of every host’s repertoire, while cocktail parties now top the casual entertaining list. The beauty of the cocktail party is its versatility: It can be as large or small, as simple or elaborate as you wish, from a word-of-mouth “Come over for drinks” gathering for a few friends to a full-scale holiday gala complete with mailed invitations. Unless you’re including a buffet, state the start and end times on the invitation: “Cocktails from 6:00 P.M.to 7:00 P.M.,” rather than “Cocktails at 6:00 P.M.” Otherwise, your guests may expect some sort of dinner or stay the evening (and believe us, they will!). It’s always a good idea to include an RSVP with a phone number so you’ll know how many to plan for.
Compared to a dinner party, a cocktail party requires less preparation, is usually less expensive, and allows you to entertain more people in a small setting. It’s the perfect way to introduce new acquaintances to your friends or to reciprocate other casual invitations. Just remember, whether you go fancy or casual, the operative word is fun.