Adult
Cocktail Party 101
 (ARA) – Few social gatherings blend grown-up
sophistication and fun as perfectly as the cocktail party. Born in the
days of Prohibition, the cocktail party has evolved. Today, smart hosts
use plenty of planning and pre-packaged cocktail mixes to create
memorable parties.
Solid Color Party Supplies, Party Decorations Here are some tips for planning your next cocktail
party:
* Choose your party guest list. Invite people with different
interests who might not otherwise meet. Throughout the party, be sure to
introduce your guests to each other and give them topics to discuss.
* Send cocktail party invitations via snail mail. Make your guests feel
special when they receive something other than virtual mail. Choose
party invitations style based on your party theme. Don’t forget to specify attire in
the party invitations. You don’t want to make your guests feel uncomfortable
by having one person show up in a party dress and another show up in
jeans.
* Select your party area. Whether the party will be held
in your house or at a rented space, be sure you have areas designated
for specific purposes. Set up a place for the bar, seating, mingling and
a dance floor, if desired.
* Prepare the appetizer menu. Ideally, you should have
equal amounts of cold appetizers and warm appetizers. Throw in a few
desserts for good measure.
* Set up drink accessories. These are the memorable
touches that will leave your guests “ooohing” and “aaahing.” Have plenty
of kitschy items on hand. Cut up different types of fruits and
vegetables and place colorful toothpicks in them. Of course, have a wide
array of
cocktail picks and stirrers available. Bar towels, ice bucket and tongs, and
cocktail drink shakers are other good ideas.
* Select Music, choose
party tunes that will keep your guests
grooving all night long. Again, keep your party music in line with the theme.
Think of the tone you want to set for your party and make sure the music
will reflect it. Does your ideal party involve dancing? Do you want
soft, mellow music so your guests can focus more on conversation?
* Plan
the drink menu. This is the most important step for a successful
cocktail party. Select drinks that maintain your theme. If you’re having
a retro ’60s party, serve Cosmopolitans. If your party theme is tropical,
serve Tequila Sunrises. Consider using pre-prepared drink mixes to
simplify your job without compromising on excitement.
Daily’s Fruit Mixers, available in 13 different
refreshing real-fruit flavors, can help you create the theme you desire
for your next cocktail party. Be creative and add your own ingredients
to come up with a refreshing taste experience or try out some recipes
from Daily’s Fruit Mixers:
Pomegranate Martini
1 ounce Daily’s Triple Sec ½ ounce Daily’s Grenadine 2
ounces Premium Vodka Combine ingredients in
drink shaker with ice. Shake and strain into
a
Martini Glass. Garnish with a lime twist
Cosmopolitan
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce Daily’s Triple Sec
1/2 ounce Daily’s Lime Juice
Splash of cranberry juice
Ice cubes
Combine, shake well in a
drink shaker and strain into a
Martini glass.
Champagne Cocktail
4 ounces Champagne
1 ounce Daily’s Strawberry or Raspberry Daiquiri
Serve in Champagne glass
Gimlet
4 ounces Gin or Vodka
1 ounce Daily’s Lime Juice
Combine, shake well in a
drink shaker and strain into a
Martini glass. Garnish with a lime slice.
Whiskey Sour
3 ounces Daily’s Sweet & Sour Mix
1 1/2 ounces Bourbon or Scotch
2 ice cubes
Combine, shake well in a
drink shaker and strain into a
Martini glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange
slice.
Mojito
1 1/2 ounces light rum
1 ounce Daily’s lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3-4 mint leaves
Club Soda
In a
Hurricane Cup, muddle mint leaves, add sugar and lime juice. Fill glass
with ice. Pour in rum and top with club soda.
Daily’s Fruit Mixers are made with real fruit, are
available in 13 flavors and can be made with or without alcohol. Visit
www.dailysfruitmixers.com for additional recipes or for more
information. Courtesy of ARA Content
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