Raise the Bar
Update your entertainment arsenal with these suggestions from a top chef
Image courtesy Brown-Forman Corporation
Having a repertoire of trendy cocktail recipes makes party hosting more pleasurable. But if you're still serving gin and tonics in jelly jars or your wine glasses come with an ad for the local soccer team, it's time to trade up.
Equip your kitchen with glasses that are appropriate for different types of cocktails and add a few bar tools to make cocktail preparation easier and your drinks special. What's more you can do both without breaking your budget.
"You don't need to spend a lot of money on glassware," says Tim Laird, chef and chief entertaining officer with Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, Ky. "I don't recommend crystal when you're starting out. You can get nice glassware from a variety of outlets."
You also don't need a separate shape for each drink; some glasses do double duty, according to Laird. Gadgets may also serve several purposes. Get a blender that crushes ice and you can use it for your morning smoothie and your evening margarita.
Here are Laird's recommendations for glasses and gadgets:
Glasses
Buy six of each of the following:
� "Rocks" glass: This squat glass with either straight or slightly angled sides holds about a half of liquid. As the name suggests, use this for spirits on ice.
� Highball glass: A tall, slightly chubby glass that has either straight or slightly sloping sides. The classic sloe gin fizz is served in a highball glass, but you can also use it for iced tea.
� Martini glass: The Y is the epitome of cocktail style. "Everyone loves to have a martini glass," says Laird. But avoid super-sized glasses, he advises. "When you make your cocktail and pour it in [an oversized glass] it will get warm halfway through; not refreshing," says Laird. He's also concerned that your guests will be unaware of how much alcohol they're consuming.
� Wine glass: Choose a thin-rimmed glass with a medium bowl, which is versatile enough for both red and white wine as well as Champagne.
Gadgets
� Cocktail shaker: Select a shaker with a built-in strainer. For $10 you can get a shaker "that lasts forever," says Laird.
� Measuring glass: Instead of a jigger, buy a glass that measures up to six ounces of liquid.
� Ice bucket and tongs: Look for insulation so the bucket doesn't sweat when you put ice in it.
� Strainer: Buy two if you have the space - one with a coil that fits over the mixing glass and keeps the ice in place, and one for straining out solids.
� Blender: Pick one with a glass container so it doesn't absorb flavors.
Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
 |
CATEGORIES
CONTACT 
|