Hosting a New Year’s party? Instead of serving wine, mix cocktails for your guests—it’ll save you money. Get started by stocking your bar with help from Just Married & Cooking: 200 Recipes for Living, Eating, and Entertaining Together, by Brooke Parkhurst and James Briscione.
Thrifty Bartender: Serve House Cocktails, Save Some Cash
As a host, it’s easy to fall back on wine (and to fall over when you’ve had too much of it). Uncork, pour, and serve. But the truth is that wine can really push up your bar bill. So while you’ll still serve vino with the meal, consider mixing up house cocktails during the aperitif or cocktail hour. By investing in several top-shelf bottles of booze, serving cocktails before dinner will be less expensive in the long run than serving many bottles of inexpensive wine.
How We Stock Our Bar
Vodka—Grey Goose, Ketel One
Bourbon—Maker’s Mark, Bulleit
Gin—Hendrick’s, Tanqueray
Tequila—Cuervo Silver
Rum—Sailor Jerry’s
Grand Marnier
Triple Sec
Bitters
Club soda and ginger ale (buy small bottles to minimize waste)
