Cocktail Party Basics - The Tools

The tools of the trade you need to throw a cocktail party. 

Put away that keg tap. It’s time to have a grown up cocktail party. Wondering what to do when the plastic party cups seem a little tacky? Here are a few tips that will help you throw a fabulous, grown up cocktail party.

First order of business is acquiring a few simple tools, and learning how to use them.

Four essential items.

1. A shaker

2. Glasses

3. Corkscrew/opener

4. Muddler

Four for style points:

1. Soda siphon

2. Square silicone ice cube trays

3. Picks

4. Cocktail napkins

A shaker is important. It should have a strainer top and fit securely together, feeling balanced in the hand. You are going to be so wildly successful at this cocktail party thing that we may need more than one. A strainer can be handy if you’re shaking drinks in a pint glass as opposed to a shaker. Martinis, Manhattans, Margaritas and some other drinks that don’t start with “M” all benefit from a good shake. This not only makes a lovely sound that instantly soothes, it blends the drink, chills it, and adds just the right amount of ice/water to the drink.

Glasses

Ditch the McDonald’s Star Wars glasses, or hide them at least. They may be fine for your morning OJ but they’ve got no place at your party. Inexpensive glasses can be found at restaurant supply stores for bargain prices. Pick up enough solid martini glasses to account for tipsy or clumsy friends. Choose glassware for utility and style. I have some glasses that are for bashes and some that are for special occasions. Friends who know me well often give me sets with one extra, accounting for breakage. What can I say, I love a good party.

A muddler

For mojitos, caipirinhas and other cocktails, this little tool is invaluable. These drinks are great in summer and really popular now. You’ve seen bartenders mashing up mint and sugar with something resembling a miniature baseball bat. That is a muddler. It can come in handy for cracking ice and also for cooking.

Corkscrews

A wine opener you’re comfortable with is important. Whether you’re opening a bottle of “Two Buck Chuck” or a special vintage for a celebration, you want to master how to use a corkscrew or other opener. “Rabbit” type openers are very popular now. They’re pretty much fool-proof.

I love the Ahso opener. The Ahso is simply two flat prongs of uneven length which you insert into the neck of the bottle between the cork and the glass. Rocking it back and forth to insert it, you then twist and pull and out comes the cork.

Bonus round: these items will get you style points… A soda siphon is an investment and requires a little time so it’s best when you’re having a small get-together, say cocktails for 2-4 people, rather than a larger party. For bigger events, stick with bottles of club soda and tonic.

Invest in a nice set of cocktail picks, grab some fun, snarky cocktail napkins and look for special ice cube trays. Picks are short money and make a much better presentation than toothpicks. Nothing says elegance like perfectly square cubes of ice in a double old-fashioned glass. What, you ask is a double old-fashioned glass? Doh! You mean you don’t have a basic bartender’s guide? Get one – it will be a good reference for years to come. Double old-fashioned or old-fashioned is a short, squat glass used primarily for drinks “on the rocks.” And “rocks” look great in cubes.

You’re on your way to hosting your first cocktail hour. Next up, the event...