Good Lifestyle

Hosting guests requires a lot of planning, ensuring that your home is the best to create the right atmosphere for a dinner . But whatever the occasion, there is a good chance that you will end up serving your friends and loved ones a drink or a cocktail once arrived. Fortunately, it is easy to get everything you need to keep everyone well hydrated and satisfied, even if you do not know the difference between a cup of Pimm and a Paloma. Read the rest to find out what you need on your home bar cart before the guests come, according to the mixologists.

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With hundreds of options on the shelf in any alcohol store, it may feel difficult to focus on the bare necessities of the perfect home bar. But instead of being exceeded, you can cover most of your bases simply by ensuring that you have five types of alcohol ready to serve.

"The key is to have all the bases at hand that you would have on the" speed rail "behind a bar: whiskey, gin, vodka, rum and tequila," said Lauren Gonzalez , Expert bar and owner of Hotel Lolo Pass in Portland, Oregon. "Better quality minds make tasty drinks, so I think it's worth investing in high -end minds you like. You can find excellent options for $ 20 to $ 40 per bottle."

But there is also no reason to go too far when you start to build your selection. "If you store your bar trolley for the first time, you can simply start with a light basic light to stay simple," suggest Cristina Martin , based in New York cocktail and educator. "I like to have gin and whiskey in mine because of their versatility, but do not hesitate to choose according to the preference of your guests."

While most hosts know that they will need a few bottles of basic spirits at hand, things become more difficult once there are less known ingredients and articles. In addition to being an integral part of any perfectly manufactured Martini or Manhattan, fortified wines are an essential underestimated that can instantly raise your bar. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"I recommend having a dry vermouth and a sweet vermouth," explains Martin. "They can be mixed in cocktails or drums alone on the ice with club soda for an option of cocktails with low abv. But remember: after opening Vermouths, you want to keep them in the refrigerator to extend their duration of conservation."

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As with cooking, whisking the perfect cocktail requires much more than the following proportions in a recipe. Besides the liquid in the glass, you will need a few simple parts of the equipment necessary for everything to meet.

"A mixture glass is essential for stirred cocktails like Martinis, not to mention beautiful to display on your basket," explains Gonzalez. "Other tools include a long agitation spoon, a set of metallic shaker, jigges to measure the ingredients, two types of colanders for the range of ice and pulp - you will want a hawthorne and a fine net - fine net - And a muddler to crush fruits, citrus citrus fruits, or mint leaves. "

And do not hesitate to buy a version with the right decorative qualities. "I store them on the top of my bar cart inside the shakers and mixing glasses with unique glassware," she adds.

Depending on the tastes of your guests, classic cocktails may not always cut it. This is why you should be prepared with non -spiritual options to make sure that they will have something that they will appreciate sipping.

"I like to have a few types of wine available at any time - usually a dry white, a lighter red like a pinot noir, a more complete red like a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon or a syrah, and a bottle of bubbles," explains Gonzalez. "I firmly believe that everyone should always have a bottle of sparks in their refrigerator ready to celebrate at any time."

You can also add depth to your selection with other non -spirits liqueurs. "If you are ready for this, add an aperitif like Campari to the mixture. And Amaros is also a nice addition because they are perfect for sipping after dinner," said Martin.

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Even the most rigid drinks require non -booy ingredients to balance them. And in some cases, experts say that having the right elements at hand can be as important as your selection of spirits itself.

"Do not forget to store non -alcoholic ingredients," explains Martin. "My bar cart always has soda, tonic water and ginger beer. I would also take a bottle of Angostura or Orange to rush into your drinks."

"And even if it may require a quick trip to the store before a meeting, a bowl full of citrus fruits like fresh lemons, limes and oranges is an absolute necessity of bar," she adds. In addition to making easy garnishes, you can count on their fresh juice as a key ingredient in many drinks or so that their zest have cocktails.

If you plan to go through a higher volume of cocktails that your juice or your time could allow it, there is nothing wrong with using ready-to-use ingredients, especially when you don't want to worry to run at the store at the last minute. "Canned or bottled juices are always a good idea to have filled," Irving Gonzales , an expert mixologist and cocktail consultant with Spirits Izo , recount Better life . "Think of the cranberry so that you can mix cosmos, orange juice for a screwdriver and grapefruit for a classic greyhound."

Just as organizing a dinner, preparing for your guests well in advance can help reduce part of the stress and agitation upon arrival. This is why whipping a few essential ingredients and having ready -to -use garnishes can be of great help.

"The simple prefabricated syrup will keep in the refrigerator up to six months, which you can do by combining equal parts of sugar and boiling water on the stove," explains Gonzalez. "And, of course, Luxardo's cherry pots and olives are essential for Martinis and Manhattans, which you can store in your refrigerator and forever forever."

If you feel like you get out of your comfort zone, she suggests finding a "signature cocktail" and simplifying the service thinking in advance.

"Like any professional bar, it is a question and preparing in advance," explains Gonzalez. "If you have an idea of what your guests like, you can prepare garnishes and mixers before the arrival of your guests so that things can be mixed and served quickly without too much cleaning."