Debut Cocktail Party: The First Big Event For Your New Gourmet Kitchen
Your new gourmet kitchen turned out as beautifully as you dreamed it would. The counters are gorgeous. The cabinets are perfect. And your new stainless steel appliances sparkle with fresh-polished luster. Now it's time to show off the beautiful space to your friends. Hosting a cocktail party is an ideal way to let them not only see the kitchen, but also experience some of the reasons you love it, too.
Perfectly Chilled Cocktails
Greet your guests with an array of cocktail options as they get the first glimpse of your new cooking space. Have fun answering their questions as you shake martinis, muddle mojitos, stir a sazerac or pour a simple on-the-rocks drink. Your newly installed built-in freezer makes cocktail preparation and presentation a snap.
- Chill cocktail glasses on a rack in the freezer. Thirty minutes is sufficient for the glasses to be thoroughly chilled, but if you'd like them to have an attractive frosty finish, put them in the freezer 4 hours before your first guests are expected.
- Fill the freezer's ice drawer with ice cubes before the party. You won't have to worry about running out of ice or fuss with little ice trays while you'd rather be chatting with your guests.
- Focus on one or two cocktail styles. Martinis with apple-tini, choco-tini and spicy ginger-tini variations served in stemmed glasses still frosty from the freezer give the party an aura of elegance to match a classy, upscale kitchen. Or go for a seasonal theme. Crushed ice cocktails, for example, are perfect for a warm summer afternoon affair and are easy to blend when you've got a stash of pre-crushed ice in the freezer.
Mixers and Garnishes
Your new, professional-quality stainless steel refrigerator provides ample space to store and chill the essentials for classic cocktails. Use the gallon-size door bin and smaller door racks to arrange ingredients for easy access as you're hosting the party. Your list of necessities will vary depending on whether you choose to do a themed party, but you can't go wrong by stocking up on the following:
- Large bottles of club soda, cola, tonic water, ginger ale and your favorite lemon-lime flavored soda.
- Bottled juice, including cranberry, grapefruit, orange, apple, and some tomato juice for those who love a nice Bloody Mary. Have smaller containers of lemon juice and lime juice handy in case someone fancies a Tom Collins, a kamikaze or a sweet, fruity cosmopolitan.
- Reserve a space on one rack for specialty mixers such as bitters, sour mix, simple syrup, and bottles of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Place small containers of olives and maraschino cherries next to the mixers for easy access. Lemons, limes and a glass container with a little water in the bottom for fresh mint sprigs can be stored on a refrigerator shelf as you prepare for the party, but take them out and set them on the counter by your mixing space when it's time for the guests to arrive.
Wine and Champagne
Among the new stainless steel appliances in your gourmet kitchen, there's likely to be a built-in wine cooler. Even if you don't have it fully stocked yet, you can show off its beauty with a small collection of local and imported wines. Some guests may prefer wine instead of liquor and mixed drinks, and you can also keep several bottles of sparkling mineral water in the wine fridge for those who prefer no alcohol at all. For a smaller party, a couple of bottles of chilled Champagne can be quite enough to raise a toast to the finished kitchen project in all its glory.
Light Hors d'Oeuvres
You might be tempted to create a huge spread of culinary delights now that your handsome new stainless steel appliances are in place. But try to resist. This party is about celebrating a completed project. Guests will be happy to get a look at the whole layout as they enjoy the drinks and nibble on light snack food. After all, the lovely new cooking range, convection and wall ovens and microwave oven hold the promise of full-scale gourmet dinner parties in the future.
For more ideas on how to best use your new appliances, talk with supply companies, like Gringer & Sons Inc.