Let’s talk about serving drinks. Whatever style or size party you are hosting, from a
formal sit-down dinner for six to a casual backyard party for 20, beverages will be available.
For starters, here’s what not to say to your guest, “What would you like to drink?” Surprised? That’s because it is such an open-ended question. The guest may ask for a Tequila Sunrise, and you may not have tequila on hand. Or, they may be too shy to ask for the drink that they really want for fear that you may not have that drink in the house.
A better idea is to offer some suggestions of what you do have available. You might say, “I’d like to offer you a drink. We have white or red wine, beer, and vodka with some mixer, or perhaps you’d like to have a nonalcoh-
olic beverage.”
It is always important to have nonalcoholic drinks available and openly displayed. After a guest has one or two alcoholic drinks, they may want to switch to a nonalcoholic beverage. If those drinks are not displayed on the bar, the guest may be too embarrassed to ask.
Additionally, most hosts do not hire a bartender to serve the drinks. Most hosts display the beverages for the guests to help themselves. I suggest offering the first drink and then inviting the guests to help themselves thereafter. Guests may feel uncomfortable helping themselves to another drink if the host doesn’t specifically invite them to do so.
I always serve the first drink and then tell the guests that this is a “help yourself” party. At sit-down dinners, where there’s usually only wine at the table, I tell the guests the same thing, “Please help yourself.”
Another key factor regarding serving drinks is where you set up the bar. Generally, the room with the bar will attract the most people. In advance, plan where you’d like that place to be. If you don’t want guests to congregate in the kitchen, then don’t set up the bar in the kitchen. If you want guests to gather on the deck outdoors, then that’s where to set up the bar. At really large parties, I may set up two or three separate wine-only bars.
Some hosts today are offering a signature cocktail, a special concoction sometimes of their own making with seasonal fruits and creative ice cubes served in a fancy dispenser. That’s kind of fun and I’ve seen that guests really like to try the signature cocktail.
Serving glasses are also important. Even a cold glass of water seems to taste better in a stemmed glass rather than in an ordinary paper cup. Paper or plastic cups are fine to use, especially outdoors, but it is also fun to drink
a beverage from a special glass. For example, I like to drink beer in a stemmed glass. So, think about your serving glasses and use ones that are fun to drink from. Cheers!
Maureen Molé is the author of The Book of Entertaining at Home, a product spokesperson, and
lecturer. Follow her on Instagram #Entertain_at_Home_with_Maureen, or email her at MaureenMole@gmail.com.