Kitchen Essential

Cocktail parties usually take place in the evening before dinner, from 6 p.m. until 8 or 8.30 p.m. Invitations can be as formal or informal and as original as you like, and the party may be as simple or elaborate as you wish to make it. You may choose to serve one alcoholic drink only, for example, sherry or champagne, or wine, or you may decide to serve a variety of cocktails (be sure that you are well versed in making them), spirits or aperitifs. Soft drinks should also be available. Whatever the drinks you offer, have glasses the right shape to serve them in.

Choose 1930s-style glasses for cocktails and have ready suitable items to place in the drinks; olives, sliced lemon or baby onions for dry drinks, maraschino cherries for sweet drinks. If you use tall glasses decorate the rim of the glass with elaborate arrangements of sliced apples, oranges, lemons and then push a baby paper parasol into the fruit to top it all. Novelty ice cubes and straws are also fun, and altogether the party can be very colourful.

Decorate the room with plenty of flowers, making sure you leave ample space for dishes of food, glasses and ashtrays to be put down. Decide where you want the drinks table or ‘bar’ to be, and if using a table, cover it with a decorated cloth (either linen or disposable). If there is room, place a small vase of flowers in one corner and make sure you have all the various bottles you need. You will also need bottle openers, corkscrews and miniature napkins. It is a good idea to place little piles of napkins around the room so that they are easily accessible.

Food should be light and simple and should be presented so that it can be easily eaten with fingers. Serve bowls filled with a selection of mixed nuts (not just peanuts); stuffed olives and other cocktail pickles (onions, gherkins, etc.); baby sandwiches and canapés (these need to be extremely fresh when served as they dry very quickly, so don’t prepare them too soon in advance of the party); dips with sliced vegetables and a range of crisps, tortillas, corn chips; baby sausages on sticks; little savory flans and vol au vents filled with shrimps or chicken.

Lay dishes of food around the room, and at times circulate with them or ask a friend to take them round. Make sure that there are plenty of mats on tables so that glasses can be put down without damaging furniture.

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