Cool Libation Ideas

As summer winds down (today 103F here in Houston) and you're perhaps planning a party or event, today we want to offer three ideas for cool libations (well, one idea is based on libations).

For some people libations are a non-issue at parties or gatherings;  nothing alcoholic is served or the alcohol that's served are pairings with the food or a signature cocktail is served besided wines and/or beer and a non-alcoholic option.  Nothing more is wanted or needed.

For others, the libations are more important.  If you are in the interested-in-having-a-cool-libation-at-your-event camp, read on!

Here are three ideas for jazzing up your party or gathering that are particularly appropriate for this late summer into early fall period:

• Set up an alcoholic punch buffet--Find cool alcoholic punch recipes at www.barnonedrinks.com or check out The Ultimate Party Drink Book which offers 750 drink recipes.  Choose at least three punches and set them out on a buffet, either in champagne flutes or martini glasses or regular stemware, or how about beverage dispensers or punchbowls or pitchers, even bistro tumblers?  And if you have a variety of different colored punches in your punch buffet, it looks amazing, especially if you pour the punches into goblets or glasses or they are in transparent beverage dispensers or pitchers!
• Make cocktail "popsicles"--We will not take credit for this idea as it came from Fine Cooking originally (Aug/Sept. 2009) but we do it differently in that we can take pretty much any cocktail recipe and freeze it into popsicles rather than concentrating on ones with "food" ingredients like cream or chocolate (though we can do that too).  If you have pop molds it's easy, or if not use small wax-lined paper cups, which peel off easily.  Unmold and pass on trays with napkins (they'll start melting after around 10-15 minutes on the tray) or serve them individually in martini glasses or stemware, which catch the drips.
• Have a regional libation buffet--such as vinho verde, port, and wines from Portugal or a selection of French wines and cocktails from one region of France or a regional American or Belgian craft beer selection...Again, choose at least three libations and maybe put out a little printed card or a chalkboard with info on the selections.  Guests love this!

Whenever you serve alcohol at a party, it's always polite to serve at least one non-alcoholic beverage besides water. 

The above libation ideas can also be served with more traditional wines if you have more traditional folks among your guests, so everyone is happy.

Enjoy!