It’s usually a good idea to provide a variety of drinks choices for any dinner gathering. Alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer, and spirits are unquestionably going to be needed for a successful dinner party, and there are plenty of ways to make non-alcoholic drinks fun too. So what kinds of things should you be providing at your next dinner party when it comes to the beverages? Read on for some excellent ideas.
Add Fruit
You should add complementing fruit options with your drinks, and what you choose will depend on the type of drink you’re serving. If you’re serving sweet Italian wines to your visitors, try carefully slicing lemons, limes, or oranges to cut through the sweetness. If you’re serving gin from Ellers Farm Distillery, you’ll want sweeter options like strawberries. For a sophisticated look, place a single strawberry in a champagne flute glass. Mangoes, guavas, and pineapples can also work nicely in a cocktail, depending on the occasion.
Infuse The Sweeteners
If you’re serving a mint mojito at your dinner party, make the simple syrup ahead of time. Infuse fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, and bay leaves into the syrup, and the longer you leave it to steep, the better the taste will be.
If you prefer to use less sugar, you use other types of sweeteners instead of ordinary sugar, such as agave nectar or flavoured honey.
Offer Low-Calorie Options
Yes, it’s a dinner party, but that doesn’t mean people who are looking carefully at their calorie intake are going to want to forego their dieting. To be mindful of their plans and ideals, offer drinks with low calories. Diet versions of standard soft drinks are good options, and you can even find low-calorie beer and wine.
To look at these drinks, no one would know any difference, so if the person who wants the low-calorie options isn’t keen on everyone knowing that they’re dieting, make sure you are discreet when pouring the drinks and keep the bottles and cans out of sight of the rest of the party.
Make Beautiful Ice Cubes
Make an impression with the ice cubes, whether you’re keeping the beverages cold in a big cooler or serving each visitor individually. If you’re creating regular ice, toss in some herbs or citrus fruits to accent the drink. Add edible flowers for a beautiful look.
You can also purchase a variety of ice cube forms to make the drink stand out in a clear glass. Diamond-shaped ice cube moulds are widely available, as are circular ones. You can find Christmas-themed ones for the festive season. In fact, you can find pretty much any shape you want to; just take a look online, and you’ll soon find an ice cube mould that works for you.
The possibilities are limitless. Resist the temptation to offer a slew of choices at one dinner gathering as you experiment with various combinations. Choose one to three options that will go with the theme of your dinner party and keep things fun but simple. You don’t want the drinks to overshadow the food, after all.