Ina Garten's Stress-Free Rule For Cocktail Party Drinks
Attending a cocktail party is a fun and classy experience full of good friends, good food, and even better drinks — but hosting one can be a bit more stressful. When you are in charge of crafting the menu and getting your space party-ready, things can easily become overwhelming. To ensure you have just as much fun as your guests, consider taking an Ina Garten-approved shortcut when prepping your beverage offerings: set it all out DIY-style.
No matter what you choose to serve, Garten believes that a self-service drink bar is easy to prepare and allows your guests to make exactly the drinks they want. After all, each person may prefer different ingredient ratios in their martini or margarita. First, identify which kinds of drinks you want at your get-together. Do you want to host an aperitivi party with spritzes and negronis on tap, or is the vibe leaning towards a sangria bar with bottles of wine, champagne, and slices of fruit?
Next, take the glasses, ice, garnishes, liquors, and mixers that you would normally use to make a large batch of each drink — but instead of mixing it all together, simply lay out each element on a table and let your guests do the rest. This allows for some to enjoy your fully-imagined cocktails, while others can simply prepare a tequila soda or seltzer with lemon and lime. Allowing partygoers to mix their own drinks will also accommodate both drinkers and non-drinkers at your party.
For even less stress, make the food self-serve too
Once you have transformed your signature drinks into a self-service station, consider applying the same shortcut to the food. Ina Garten herself serves easy hors d'oeuvres at her parties to expedite the preparation process and eliminate the stress of standing over a hot stove. Opting out of a plated, sit-down meal will save you time and stress, especially when you have to calculate how much food to buy to satisfy each guest.
A buffet-style menu with all of your appetizers on display will allow each guest to pick which foods they want to eat and how much. When deciding what exactly you want to serve, consider small bites that are easy for guests to handle and eat while mingling. One of the reasons why charcuterie boards are so popular is that they let guests graze on small accoutrements that you can assemble beforehand. In addition to one of these boards, Garten likes to serve dishes such as fig and goat cheese toasts, deviled eggs, roasted nuts, and shrimp cocktail.
Kabobs with various proteins and veggies are a very popular finger food, being both tasty and filling. Canapes with various spreads and garnishes on top are another small bite that's perfect for a self-service appetizer station. Avoid foods that are easily spilled or too messy to handle. Instead of a platter of wings, consider offering cocktail meatballs, or swap out your usual soup course for a grilled cheese slider with an easy tomato soup shooter.