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With Prince William and Kate Middleton getting married tomorrow, it’s time to toss a drinks party. At Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle, Sandringham and Clarence House, it is the responsibility of the royal staff to insure invited guests have a great time. Drinks are prepared ahead of time and passed around on silver trays.
The queen loves a dry martini, just as her late mother who lived to be nearly 102 did. She also welcomes a gin and Dubonnet. Prince Charles enjoys a good scotch, probably neat. His wife Camilla has a preference for gin and tonic as does Prince Philip, her father-in-law, who turns 90 next month. I’m not sure whether Prince William and Princess Catherine like to drink, although when William was in college, he frequented the local pubs and ordered beer.
Let’s throw a proper drinks party. There are several ways to do this. You can hire a bartender or two and have them mix to order. You need not hire a professional barkeep, however. Just ask a few knowledgeable college students who are adept with a shaker and shot glass. Or, you can ask a few friends to take turns as mixologists.
Not everyone enjoys a finely mixed cocktail. Have beer, wine, fruit juice and non-alcoholic beverages on hand as well.
Keep the food simple. I suggest finger foods, crudite with dips and one-bite canapés.
One of the best cocktail books around is “The Craft of the Cocktail” by Dale DeGroff. It’s my drinks bible.
Dubonnet Cocktail
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of red Dubonnet
1-1/2 ounces of gin
Lemon peel, for garnish
Directions:
Pour the Dubonnet and gin together over ice in an old-fashioned glass, or chill and serve up in a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon peel.
Serves one.
Rob Roy
Ingredients:
2-1/2 ounces of scotch
1 ounce of Italian sweet vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters
Lemon peel, for garnish
Directions:
Pour all of the ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir as you would a martini. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon peel.
Serves one.
Note from Phyllis: This scotch Manhattan gets its name from a Broadway show “Rob Roy.” Some bartenders use equal parts of both sweet and dry vermouth in the recipe. Either way, the bitters are a must.
Royal Romance
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of gin
1/2 ounce of Grand Marnier
1 ounce of passion fruit juice or nectar
2 dashes of grenadine
Orange peel, for garnish
Directions:
Shake all of the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange peel.
Note from Phyllis: DeGroff flames the orange peel before dropping it into the drink.
Stinger
Ingredients:
2 ounces of cognac or brandy
1 ounce of white crème de menthe
Directions:
Shake both of the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
Serves one.
Note from Phyllis: DeGroff writes the stinger is the classic New York nightcap.
Cosmopolitan
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of citron vodka
1/2 ounce of Cointreau
1/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
1 ounce of cranberry juice
Orange peel, for garnish
Directions:
Shake all of the ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange peel.
Serves one.
Pimm’s Cup
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of Pimm’s No. 1
3 ounces of fresh lemonade
Club soda
English cucumber spear, for garnish
Apple slice, for garnish
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a highball glass and garnish with the cucumber and apple.
Serves one.
Note from Phyllis: I first tasted a Pimm’s Cup in London. They are traditionally served during English racing meets, especially during Ascot in June
Sea Breeze
Ingredients:
1-1/2 ounces of vodka
4 ounces of fresh grapefruit juice
1-1/2 ounces of cranberry juice
Lime wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Pour the vodka into an iced highball glass. Fill partially with the grapefruit juice and top with the cranberry juice. Garnish with the lime wedge.
Serves one. SPR
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