It's Late, It's Friday- Time for Cocktails.....goodbye computer virus.

I have been dealing with a virulent bug on my laptop for the past week. My hubby has tried just about everything but it is extremely stubborn. I was unable to use my computer all day, that was a serious blow for me. But I am back and with one of my favorites on Friday.

Cocktails!!








About 6 years ago we hosted a cocktail party at our home in New Jersey.
It was our first one and in typical fashion, I did research on hosting a party and  I went
crazy making sure I had everything.
I bought cherries,olives,picks in every shape and forms,glasses. In a nutshell, it was too much and I blew our budget. I looked really lovely I am sure and was the perfect host, but it was exhausting.

Years have passed and I now have the perfect formula for cocktails and it is so easy.  And the minimum of work.

Here is what you need.

One signature cocktail.


,

Champagne Cocktail

1 bottle Champagne or Sparkling Wine

2 ounces of pear brandy such as

Poire Williams

Juice of 1 lemon

5 sugar cubes or 5 tsp sugar

Pour Champagne into flutes and to each add a splash or pear brandy about 1tsp lemon juice and a sugar cube or dash of sugar.

Set up a long or circular table in your living room or place platters around your home or flat.

Cheeses- Cheddar/Goat or Brie/Pungent Blue

Nuts and Seeds-Walnuts and Almonds or Pumpkin/toasted sesame or pine nuts

Fruits- Apples, Pears, Apricots and Cranberries. Can be raw, stewed dried or in a jam. Cook a bag of frozen berries until they thicken and then serve in a small bowl with a spoon. Chunks of melon with cured meat or apples.

Fresh berries for mild cheese,cherries for blue cheese, pineapple for Alpine cheese.

Dried fruit- peaches and persimmons.

Pickles- carrots,okra or green beans , olives.

Spices and herbs- on cheese

Bread /Crackers- Raisin Bread,baguettes, rye, rice and sesame crackers. Simple white crusty bread for pates.

Vegetables- Spicy Rd Pepper Jelly. Grilled and roasted vegetables. Grilled onions like cipollini

Charcuterie- Salami,pate,Serrano ham or prosciutto.

Chutney- thick and fruity.

Spreads- whole grain mustard

Sweet- coconut macaroons. Potato chips for pate scooping.

Citrus zest.


Arrange other drinks mixers and ice on a table in another part of the house, but keep the signature cocktail as the main attraction.

Great stores to try for cocktail size needs World Market, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods but World Market has the best selection.

Buy everything one day in advance and you are ready to go!

Send invites from pingg.com,evite.com for online sites and they also do hard copies. Target has some wonderful selections too.

Enjoy!!!