About Barware

Although the history is not entirely clear and the path not altogether certain, party favors seem to have originated in England sometime during the 16th or 17th century. During this time period, favors were most often given to the guests at a wedding. These favors were generally “love knots.” Love knots are essentially lace and ribbon tied and braided together. And while the favors have changed over the years, the spirit of this practice remains the same.

Today, there is a huge and varied assortment of party favor ideas out there. They can be given at any kind of party from weddings to baby showers to graduations. With people loving to create and consume off the wall products, these favors truly run a gamut. There are classic favors available such as tiny picture frames, candles, or bottle stoppers, but there are also less classic examples such as poker chips, salt and pepper shakers, and many more.

Parties are always better when there’s a theme, and during the summertime, a wine tasting party is ideal. Who doesn’t love tasting an assortment of vintage varietals while chatting with friends and nibbling on hors’ d’oeuvres? One problem I always seem to run into however is that people get their wine glasses confused with one another.

Last summer I found a simple solution to this problem: wine glass charms. Now when guests arrive I allow them to choose a distinct wine glass charm that will allow them to easily identify their glass throughout the evening. I bought a cache of them for this exact purpose, so when the guests go home, I let them keep the charm as a party favor.

If you enjoy entertaining at home and want to do something different for a change, why not host a cocktail dinner? Cocktails are usually served post-dinner, and you can make yours special with exotic glassware and swizzle sticks. Wine, cheese, and appetizers are the usual fare, and since you save money by not preparing a whole meal, you can splurge on delicacies like lox and caviar. It is easy to prepare for a cocktail party because there is minimal cooking and preparation involved.

You also do not need a large space for the dishes. Most of the foods served are finger foods which can be presented in unique serving platters. Guests can choose where they want to be seated or they can even roam around the room and mingle with other guests. Your selection of wine must be varied as your guests may have different tastes. It would also be creative to serve different kinds of cheeses.

What is a party without booze? Wine plays a central role in any festive occasion. Wine has transcended geography and culture. Dignitaries, presidents, and leaders drink to seal a friendship. Colleagues open a bottle of wine to celebrate a promotion, or a job well done. Families gather and drink wine during the holidays.

It is no surprise that wine accessories gifts are a hit year-round. A glass thermometer, air-tight bottle stoppers, a drip ring, and a corkscrew are some examples of useful wine accessories. Now that wine tasting parties are becoming popular, these accessories will come in handy.

If you have had your own bar for years, you probably have a variety of barware including swizzle sticks, decorative toothpicks and martini shakers. However, for those just beginning to create their collection of bar accessories, there are a few essentials that no bartender can go without. Obviously there is the various glass and stemware, but this collection can be built over time.

The one thing no bar can be without it a quality corkscrew. When selecting corkscrews for your bar, be sure that they also include a bottle opener. It is also a good idea to purchase a reusable bottle stopper so that you can reseal bottles of wine and keep them fresh.

If you’re nervous about hosting an upcoming dinner party, relax for a moment and think about how you can improve your hospitality skills. First of all, brainstorm ways to take the pressure off of you and your family. Begin cleaning and decorating the house well in advance so that everyone isn’t tense and irritable just before the guests arrive. Take the time to set up little conversation pieces in common areas – maybe a coffee table book or some framed photos from a recent vacation.

Besides being polite and courteous, a good host will always be prepared with the necessary party supplies. In a dinner party context, this means tasty yet tasteful hors d’ oeuvres and plenty of libations. You’ll need classy stemware for the dining room table and cocktail glasses for the pre-meal socializing. Be sure to set out an abundance of drink coasters if you’ll be congregating around a wooden table.

Have a successful cocktail party.

Step 1:  Send out written invitations for large and formal affairs, telephone or e-mail for smaller ones. Include the nature of the party (cocktails); the occasion, if any; the date, and the beginning and ending times of the party, cocktail parties are generally between 6 and 8 p.m.

Step 2:  Make arrangements for a caterer and bartender if your party will be large (over 25 people), and your budget permits. Otherwise, prepare a cocktail menu and plan out how you will prepare everything ahead of time.

Step 3:  For drinks, plan to have wine and beer, as well as supplies for several kinds of cocktails. Have non-alcoholic alternatives on hand as well, and be sure you’ll have enough ice.

Step 4:  Remove large pieces of furniture or clutter from the room you plan to hold the party in. Set up two large tables - one for drinks, the other for hors d’oeuvres - a good distance from each other or at opposite ends of the room, to cut down on traffic around them. Set plenty of drink coasters around.

Step 5:  Set up chairs and smaller tables around the room. Comfortable folding chairs and tables are adequate and easy to move around.

Step 6:  Decorate with table linens, candles and simple floral arrangements. The complexity of the arrangements and quality of the linens should reflect the formality of the event.

Step 7:  Ask your guests for their coats as soon as they enter and hang the coats on a coat rack, in a coat closet or lay coats across a bed in an unused bedroom.

Step 8:  Tell your guests to help themselves to hors d’oeuvres. If there is no bartender, ask your guests what they would like to drink and serve them yourself.

Step 9:  Have a few party games up your sleeve to break the ice and encourage your guests to mingle.

Well-stocked bar allows you to mix cocktails more efficiently for your special occasions. Add different alcohol and don’t forget the garnish such as those listed below. Stock your bar with smaller bottles. If you are having a party and know that you’ll be serving a particular base spirits, buy larger bottles of that particular alcohol. These items are a must have for your bar accessories.

Other Alcoholic Ingredients:
Rhum
Shochu
Sake
Wine (Red & White)
Eau de vie
Pisco

Garnish:
Cocktail olives
Lemon and lime
Maraschino cherry
Orange
Mint leaves
Strawberry
Raspberry
Pineapple
Cocktail onion
Celery stocks

Well-stocked bar allows you to mix cocktails more efficiently for your special occasions. Start with the base mixers and condiments such as those listed below. Stock your bar with smaller bottles. If you are having a party and know that you’ll be serving a particular base spirits, buy larger bottles of that particular mixer. These items are a must have for your bar accessories.

Mixers:
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Orange juice
Tomato juice
Pomegranate juice
Pineapple juice
Grapefruit juice
Cranberry juice
Apple juice
Grape juice
Peach nectar
Club soda
Tonic water
Cola
Ginger ale
Milk
Coffee
Coconut juice

Condiments:
Bitters
Simple syrup
Grenadine
Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce
Superfine sugar
Salt
Ground black pepper
Eggs
Cream (heavy & light)
Nutmeg
Cinnamon

A well-stocked bar allows you to mix cocktails more efficiently for your special occasions. Start with the base spirits such as vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, tequila, brandy and Scotch. Stock your bar with 750ml bottles. If you are having a party and know that you’ll be serving a particular base spirits, buy larger 1 liter bottles. These items are a must have for your bar accessories.

Having a small refrigerator in your home bar is handy for storing ingredients and cooling liquids.

Base Spirits:
Bourbon
Canadian Whisky
Scotch Whisky (Blended and Single Malt)
Irish Whiskey
Vodka
Gin
Rum (Light & Dark)
Tequila (Silver, Reposado and Anejo)
Brandy (Cognac and Armagnac)
Cachaca
Champagne

Liqueurs:
Vermouth (Sweet & Dry)
Curacao (White & Blue)
Orange flavored liqueur (such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)
Creme de Menthe (White & Green)
Creme de Cacao (White & Dark)
Creme de Cassis
Chocolate flavored liqueur
Midori
Campari
Flavored brandies (Apricot, Blackberry, Cherry)
Amaretto
Anisette
Benedictine
Coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua, Tia Maria etc)
Sambuca
B&B
Peach Schnapps
Irish cream liqueur (such as Bailey’s)
Maraschino liqueur
Sloe Gin