Ashley Seil Smith
Whenever an article comes out exalting the return of the cocktail party from its alleged cultural obscurity, two things happen.
People who never stopped having cocktail parties roll their eyes, and people who never started having them roll their eyes at the mere thought of having to dig out their stemware.
Although I’m a cynical eye roller, I sympathize with the opposing camp. Unlike a dinner party, which requires lots of preparation but ultimately rewards its host with a seat at the table, a cocktail party conjures a bunch of active verbs, like “mingling,” “circulating” and “shaking.”
Cocktail parties also seem to require some proficiency in the dark arts of bartending, or at least enough confidence to fake it. Don’t believe the hype, stemware haters. Cocktail parties aren’t nearly as much work as you think. If you can’t afford to hire a bartender and cater your party, all you need to lure your friends to your house is a few drinks, some tasty food and a plan. Then let them entertain you.
Four to six weeks ahead: Pick a date and send the invitation
Not everyone plans this far in advance. But the holidays are busy. In my demographic, people need time to find babysitters. And no matter who’s in your tribe, you need them to RSVP, because the difference between 20 and 40 guests is an entire bowl of punch. Web-based services like Evite, Punchbowl and Paperless Post will help your cause because they nag people to respond.
What’s a good party time? Depends on what kind of party you want to throw. If you want everyone to raise a few glasses and be on their way before dinnertime, schedule it from 5 to 7 p.m. and make it clear that light fare will be served. If you can make enough food to get people through an entire evening, schedule it at 7 p.m. with no end time. There’s no one right answer. Just schedule it.
Two to four weeks ahead: Pick a theme and plan a menu
Think of a theme as an organizing principle to help you plan the menu. Let’s say you title your invitation El Niño, in homage to the warm winter we’re supposedly going to have. Serve Pisco sours, ceviche and mini-tacos. I’d come to that party — hell, I may actually throw that party.
But if the idea of serving your guests raw egg and fish makes you nervous (or the idea of having a party theme makes you sick), then just follow some basic menu guidelines.
Serve at least two cocktails. Use different spirits: Not everyone likes tequila, and some people (I hear) hate gin. Plan to serve a little wine and beer and an EANAB for those who don’t drink alcohol. (EANAB, also known as a mocktail, is an acronym for Equally Attractive Non-Alcoholic Beverage.)
Serve at least three different foods. My general approach includes a salty/crunchy thing, a warm dish and something meaty and substantial. Easy recipes in these categories are gougeres, beef tenderloin with sliced rolls or baguette, and that standby, homemade Chex mix.
One reason I plan is ahead is that sometimes I order my beef directly from a local farm. It’s a win-win: The farmer knows how much to set aside, and I know where my meat comes from. But you can also pre-order from butchers and grocers, and we have lots of great ones in town.
One week ahead: Assemble supplies, freeze make-ahead food
Start shopping. Spread it out and visit several different stores. Great things to buy ahead include liquor, juice, sodas, paper products and citrus fruit.
When it comes to glasses, my eco-self and my party-self are in harmony. To me, plastic cups are not festive. That doesn’t mean fancy stemware is necessary. I have a lot of it, but I’ve also poured cocktails into mason jars, jelly jars and mini-juice glasses.
Next, decide how you’ll serve the drinks. Shaking cocktails is my favorite form of exercise, but I rarely do it for parties, because I prefer to mingle. Instead, I premix a few custom cocktails and put them in large spouted dispensers. You can borrow them. My mom lent me her punch bowl several years ago and I never gave it back.
At some point during this week, make your crunchy food and your warm food. If you don’t like fattening balls of cheese, search the Internet for “make-ahead appetizers.” Emeril has some great cocktail meatballs, and everyone loves flaky phyllo triangles.
Cocktail party desserts are great, but sorry, they aren’t in my wheelhouse. I prefer sugar in fermented, liquid form.
Ashley Seil Smith
One day ahead: Plan décor/music, food shop, make mixers and marinades
When I say “plan décor,” I don’t mean you need to purchase a new table. I mean wash your tablecloths, punch up an old playlist, buy fresh flowers, and pull out a bunch of votive candles.
More importantly, go to the grocery store and get the rest of your edibles. I’m much more relaxed if I wake up on party day with all of my supplies.
Two easy things to make the day before: Mixers and small side dishes.
If you’re making a homemade sour mix, for example, you’ll need to squeeze a lot of limes and lemons. If you want to serve crudité, chop the veggies and store them in the fridge. If your meat needs a marinade, make it now and leave it overnight. Don’t forget to refrigerate your liquor and mixers overnight, so they’re cold at party time. Also, this may sound disturbingly Martha Stewart, but nothing works better in a punch bowl than an ice ring. If you have room in the freezer next to your cheese balls, you won’t be sorry you did it.
Party day: Make big food, set up service areas, mix drinks
First thing in the morning, a few guests will cancel because they’re sick and/or their social anxiety spiked. Shake it off, and go out for breakfast. You can’t do much until later, anyway.
Early to mid-afternoon, cook your meat. It can rest on top of the oven for a while before you slice it. Adjust the oven temperature for your frozen appetizers, which you’ll time for the start of festivities.
While the meat is roasting, take out all your platters, bowls, cutlery and glasses. With tablecloths or placemats, set up different areas for people to serve themselves. Leave space for people to congregate.
Put snack food, veggies and/or hard cheeses in every room your guests are free to roam. Slice your rolls, plate your meat, then put your warm appetizers in the oven.
The very last thing you should do before party time is to mix your cocktails. They need to stay cold, and melting ice and bubbly beverages will dilute them. If a drink requires crushed ice or soda water, set these out next to the drink containers and glassware.
Finally, clean up the kitchen. Pour yourself a drink. And have fun!
Ashley Seil Smith
Gougeres (24 servings):
2 cups milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces grated Gruyere
2 cups flour
8 eggs, room temp
salt and pepper to taste
Bring milk and butter to a boil in a sauce pan. Add flour, salt and pepper and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in cheese. On parchment or wax paper-lined sheets, place spoonfuls of mixture, 1/4 inch apart, and put in freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, place on lined trays in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue baking for 25-30 minutes. Remove when firm to the touch. Serve hot.
Easy Mezcal Margarita (24 servings):
3 cups tequila
3 cups mezcal
3 cups fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups agave syrup
The Pink Peony (24 servings):
3 cups gin
3 cups elderflower liquor
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups simple syrup
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
EANAB (per serving):
6 ounces ginger ale
1 ounce fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 ounce grenadine
splash orange bitters
Best holiday punch (24 servings):
2 cups brandy or calvados
1 cup apple cider
1 cup elderflower liqueur
1 bottle dry champagne
20 dashes orange bitters
freshly grated nutmeg
To make an ice ring, slice a few apples into thin slices, and spread around bottom and sides of a bundt pan. Fill with an inch of water and place in freezer. When apples are frozen in place, fill up with water and return to freezer. Place ice ring in punch bowl last.
