Many of us could use a good cocktail (or mocktail) right about now! We are all dreaming of the days when we can share a cocktail in person and visit with our friends face to face – but not yet. While social distancing is still alive and well, it doesn’t hurt to prepare by pulling out your favorite cookbooks, perusing Pinterest and searching for online recipes to look forward to on the other side of this situation.
As a host, creating the cocktail menu is part of the fun. Your goal is to make guests feel welcome, tempt their palate for the main event (if there will be one) and encourage lively conversation. Here are four things to consider when planning your cocktail menu.
Your Guests Palate
Make sure you have a variety of foods to accommodate your guests’ preferences. You don’t have to go overboard, but presenting a few different options for your guests to choose from is a good idea so they won’t have an empty stomach while enjoying their signature cocktails. The food does not have to be elaborate—a matter of fact, the more simple the better. Get creative by the way the food is served. Small slices of traditional pizza and mini turkey taco cups you can eat in one bite are good choices when attempting to blunt guests’ appetite and keep their hands from getting sticky.
Your Budget
It’s not necessary to break the bank when creating your cocktail menu. Offer a large charcuterie tray and allow your guests to mingle over the fresh figs, dried meats, brie, goat and sharp cheddar, Manchego cheese, olives and a selection of walnuts and almonds. Place napkins on both sides of the table and small plates for easy serving. Ensure plenty of serving utensils so guests don’t have to use their hands to pick up the food. If you do your own grocery run or have a delivery service purchase only what you need, you can assemble your own culinary masterpiece and save yourself time and money.
Include Simple Foods
Bread can be as attractive as it is delicious. Purchase a variety of breads and arrange them in a large breadbasket. Offer a plate of chilled butter, olive tapenade and oil and balsamic. Add small balls or slices of mozzarella, thin slices of heirloom tomatoes and leaves of basil and let your guests build their own Caprese salad.
Fresh fruit in a pretty bowl add color to the table and are a welcome sight to those who may not want to eat something heavy but need a small pick me up before the heavy dinner meal. A tray of cut-up pineapple, oranges and melon with a sprinkle of salt or chile pepper will blunt the palate and fill the table with color. Make sure there are plenty of napkins for the juicy fruit.
Food Allergies
If you are serving nuts, shellfish, or some other high-risk allergen, make sure to inform your guests if the food item is not readily visible. Using a nut oil or serving a shellfish bisque may not be obvious to the person who suffers from a severe allergy. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when you are entertaining multiple guests with a variety of food issues.
You may also like How to Be a Good Apartment Neighbor in the Age of Social Distancing. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram