Mixologist and food stylist Ryan Jennings reveals everything you need to know for throwing gorgeously stress-free parties this holiday season, from lighting to music and, of course, the perfect cocktail to set any scene.
These delicious cocktail recipes are from his latest book, Entertaining with Booze (Whitecap Books, 2008), available in major bookstores and online. For more holiday entertaining tips visit www.cookingwithbooze.com</b>.
The Marilyn Monroe
Champagne cocktails are simple to prepare and instantly make a celebratory statement. There also a good way to elevate a not-so-great bottle of sparkling wine into a remarkably delicious drink.
1 tsp (5 mL) grenadine
1 oz Calvados (apple brandy)
Sparkling wine
Spoon the grenadine into a cham¬pagne flute, add the Calvados and top with sparkling wine.
The Marilyn Monroe is best served with crisp salads, seafood and fruit-based desserts.
Caipirinha
As a tribute to Rio de Janeiro, which we're quite sure has one of the largest New Year's bashes south of the equator, we give you Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha (pronounced kay-pi-ri-nya). It's very similar to a mojito, with muddled lime and sugar, but instead of rum the booze of choice is cachaça, a sugarcane, distilled alcohol with a flavor somewhere between rum and tequila. Feliz ano novo!
1/2 lime, quartered
2 tsp (10 mL) unrefined brown sugar (if available)
1 1/2 oz cachaça
Muddle together the lime quarters and sugar in the bottom of a rocks glass with a wooden spoon. Cover with crushed ice and pour in the cachaça. Note: You can use equal parts white rum and tequila if you don't have cachaça.
Serve the Caipirinha as an apperatif with cheese plates and shrimp dishes.
The Rosemary and Pear Martini is a wonderful accompaniment to lamb, veal or chicken dishes. Guests who choose not to drink booze shouldn't be patronized with a warm can of diet soda. They should be respected and cared for, especially if they're the designated drivers. Mocktails are not only great thirst-quenchers, but also a special way to make those who choose not to drink feel welcome. As a host you might want to stir one of these up between alcoholic drinks for yourself; you'll last all night and you'll thank us in the morning.
More festive party tips and rinks on the next page!
