Cocktail Parties are Easy

There is no better way to beat the summer heat than to throw a fabulous cocktail party. The great thing about cocktail parties is that they require minimal work and almost guarantee a good time.

The first thing to keep in mind is that cocktail parties are meant to be short and sweet. A typical cocktail party lasts about two to three hours and is held between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. When deciding how many guests to invite, remember that the more people there are, the harder it'll be for you to play host. Consider either hiring a bartender for a larger party or having mixing stations for your guests to concoct their own potions. About two to three weeks before your party, start planning out your drink and appetizer menu according to your budget and begin buying extra stemware if needed.

Buy your party supplies way in advance. Some of the most important things you'll need are lots of ice (about one pound per guest), bottle and wine openers, a cocktail shaker, mixers, strainers and tall bar spoons for stirring. Smaller, yet still fairly important items are: coasters, straws, party picks (to hold olives or fruits), wine stoppers and drink charms. Don't forget to think about how much seating you'll need. Typically, you won't need a lot, as cocktail parties are more about mingling and less about sitting.

Speaking of mingling, tipsy folks can get clumsy, so make everyone's life easier by keeping your food and drink tables organized. You should arrange your liquor by type and height, and your food by meat or veggie, hot or cold. Consider having on hand cute little recipe cards for different popular drinks. This is a great organizational idea and also encourages guests to be comfortable making their own drinks.

If you're going to try a themed cocktail party, try to keep that theme in mind when setting up the bar-you can use lights, candles and hanging decorations to set a scene.

How do you know how much to buy for your fabulously dressed guests? One 750 ml bottle of wine will give you five servings. For hard liquor, a 750 ml bottle will yield about 16 cocktails. This is calculated by using the average 1.5 oz shot of liquor per drink. It's estimated that each person will have two to four drinks for the whole duration of a cocktail party and will eat about five to six snacks per hour. Keep in mind that these are just approximations-if you already know your guests are hearty eaters and heavy drinkers, it would make sense to plan for more food and booze.

The great thing about planning for hors d'oeuvres is that they can be made without even breaking a sweat. Try to serve a variety of foods such as seafood, meat, veggies and one or two sweet desserts. Spinach cream dips, cheese spreads and chicken or crab salads are great crowd pleasers and often taste yummy when buying them pre-made. Other popular snacks include salsas, tapenades, wings, mini quiches, bruschetta and smoked salmon. Little bites of dessert don't have to be complicated-think small cut brownies and a variety of cookies.

The next important thing to account for is your stemware. You should have wine glasses on hand, straight sided high balls for tall drinks, shot glasses (very useful for measuring as well), tumblers (for juices and water) and martini glasses or margarita glasses if you're planning on having these. The top drinks for cocktail parties are mojitos, martinis, margaritas, cosmopolitans, Long Island ice teas and white Russians.

When stocking up on your alcohol, don't feel compelled to buy every liquor on the market. Planning your drink menu beforehand should give you the best idea of what you'll need. If you still want to make sure that your guests are well taken care of, the basic top liquors are vodka, rum, gin, tequila, vermouth, scotch, Irish crème and beer. For juices, try to buy orange, cranberry and V8, and make sure to have a good supply of lemons or limes on hand. The best sodas for mixing are club soda, tonic water, cola, sprite and ginger ale.

Lastly, as host of a party that is based on alcohol consumption, it's your duty to make sure your guests are safe at the end of the night. You should have lots of water and coffee on hand, but beyond that you should have a list of numbers for cabs and be ready to personally drive someone home if need be.

Article provided by Homesteader.