Book Review: The Craft Cocktail Party

The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion by Julie Reiner

with Kaitlyn Goalen

Published by Grand Central Life & Style

 

I think it's safe to say that we are all of an age where we can legally partake, correct? Well, if not, you should probably wait to read this post until you are of drinking age. Just a little disclaimer before we get started!

 

Now, I'm no lush, but when it comes to cocktails, wine, and beverages of the adult variety, I enjoy a fine glass of ________, (fill in the blank) every once in a while. So, when Grand Central Life & Style published Julie Reiner's book: The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion, I was all over it!

 

Julie, the co-owner of The Clover Club in Brooklyn, and the swanky Flatiron Lounge in New York City has written a book, and provided us with recipes that will make all of our guests feel like we've been getting a secret degree in mixology!

 

The recipes in the book are amazing! And, best of all, they're organized around seasonality and occasion, with different themes appropriate to the specific time of year or particular events. Tips, tricks, techniques - such as infusing, and easy substitutions with things you probably already have in your home bar, are just part of the well-rounded information Julie expertly provides.

 

Putting this review together was fun! Because I got to try several of the drinks in the book to give you a sampling of my favorites. With over 200 pages of recipes however, I haven't tried them all! So, look forward to more of my favorite recipes from The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion as time goes on. For now though, take a look:

 



Sloe & Low: Photo credit: Daniel Krieger

 

If you mask it, I can enjoy gin. Pour me a gin martini, however, and you'll get a polite nod, and a full drink back at the end of the night. That's why I loved this take a on the English sloe gin (fizz). The recipe:

 



 

 

If vodka is more your flavor (and don't worry if it is - because it's totally mine, too!) I would highly suggest that you give Julie's Moscow Mule recipe a shot:

 

As delicious as it is good looking, the Moscow mule has to be one of the easiest drinks to prepare for guests, and who doesn't like a reason to have to buy new bar accoutrement? Grab some copper mugs with petit brass handles, and give this recipe a go:

When I dine, which isn't incredibly frequent, but frequent enough - I like to start the evening with a vodka drink, have a red wine with dinner (most usually a Cabernet Sauvignon) and end my night with a bourbon. If I'm feeling spry, I'll order it neat. Sometimes, on the rocks, and sometimes (if I skip dessert) I'll order a Manhattan. So, naturally, I was excited to try Julie's Manhattan recipe, and I can assure you - if you like a Manhattan (or three) it won't disappoint.

 

Whether you're a first class alcohol aficionado, or just looking to be a better host - I can assure you that adding The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion to your book stash will be a wonderful asset when the time comes to impress your friends, or, just switch up your Saturday routine. A great book to keep on hand for hostess gifts, as well! Just bookmark your friend's favorite drink with a patterned grosgrain ribbon, and leave the book in a basket along with all the makings for their cocktail of choice! I'm sure you'll be the first person they share their inaugural batch with! Pick up your copy via Amazon on the link below.



 

Lewiston Tour of Kitchens, Take Three

For the past three years, I've been heavily involved with the Lewiston Show Houses. They happen twice annually, one in June that centers around homes with gorgeous kitchens, and another in December that features Christmas decor.

For the June tour, aptly called the Tour of Kitchens, 6 homes throughout Lewiston, NY, a quaint little well-to-do village with small town appeal, are chosen and then decorators are assigned to each space. This year, I shared a home with a friend and colleague, Michelle Hook, who sews all of my custom slipcovers and pillows, and window treatments.

She took inside, and I took the outside. Of course, like every year, it rained. So, I tented what I thought I'd never do for one of these tours ... a buffet!

I'm not much for seeing the same thing over and over and over again at these tours, so I knew that I had to do something that was likely not going to be at every other house. The house is on the Niagara Falls Country Club Golf Course, and the homeowner, an avid and very respected golfer. The interior was beautifully redesigned and there are a lot of golf references, I wanted something still in the theme, but not 'kitschy.

I also wanted to try to save some money this year, and use what I already had. So, the buffet was a great idea, and to wrap the golf theme in, I created little plaid menu cards for each plate. hamBOGEY anyone? They're great on a MULLIGAN roll! Ha! I know nothing about golf, but luckily had a pro to check my definitions.

Among the obvious plates, forks, knives, and napkins one needs at a buffet, Supermarket Liquors loaned a case of Greg Norman wine for the show. Greg Norman, for those of you who know nothing or very little about golf, is a pro-golfer who now has a wine label that is pretty popular. I bought the range buckets and took golf balls from the homeowner to fill around a thin vase that I put in the center. I did the flowers this time because my florist friend was doing a house of her own on the tour.

This house was paired with the Brickyard, a restaurant in Lewiston that serves food on one side, and alcohol on the other. They specialize in BBQ, and of course, beer. But, I didn't want people thinking that the food they were serving (Brunswick Stew and Cornbread) was supposed to be on this buffet table, so, I made a center place card that read: seven o'clock PAR TEE buffet. No food here til' 7PM. Long after the tour is over!

With all the rain we had last night, and then the fog and rain this morning, just about anything glass was doomed. I would clean it, and moments later it looked hazy. So, if you went on the tour and saw hazy glasses in the tent, I promise, there was absolutely nothing I could do about it!  Still, I think it came out pretty nicely, and is different than anything else I've ever seen on the tour. A well placed buffet is actually quite an inspiring thing, don't you think?

Of course, when I was taking pictures, I had to get a few up close "glamour" shots for my portfolio. Things like this always help to round out a post, too!

To further the golf theme throughout the table, I put little cordial glasses on some of the plates with golf tees inside.

I had to bring my demi john jar filled with wine corks from home. There's something about that presentation of corks that just makes me think "SOMEBODY knows how to have a good time!"

Thankfully Scott has quite the hoard of white pfaltzgraff. I asked for his help last night in setting up, as I did it after working all week 9-5, and was really burning the midnight oil. These two hands can only do so much! I just knew he was going to say: "Aren't you glad I have all of this stuff so you can do things like this without having to buy anything?" But he didn't. SHOCKING!! I'm sure it's coming.

So there you have it ... the PAR TEE buffet (in a tent), what do you think? Beautiful without being too thematic? I hope so! I mean, who the heck needs to be hit with it when just steps away you've got this:

Didn't I tell you it was foggy! And misty, too! All morning! I can't imagine playing golf in this, but as you can see - that didn't stop these guys. The house also has a pool. Luckily, I happen to have a client who owns a pool supply warehouse and online company who was able to give me the biggest beach balls I've EVER seen:

They're 48" around, that's as big as my  dining room table! You can get your own right here! They're only $7.99, and you get a discount when you buy 2 or more! If I had a pool, I'd have to get a few of these things just because it's comical how big they are!

Anyway, back to the tour. So, I didn't really do much out here. I wanted to keep this whole thing very simple, and since it was doomed to be rained on, anything elaborate would just have been silly. So, I pulled more of the red in ...

I put red beach towels on the foot of each of the four lounge chairs, with a table to the left of each one for a giant beer mug, and a bottle of beer with the homeowners favorite coozies. She has quite the collection.

I also did a tablescape, I'll show more pictures of that sometime next week, but here's a sneak peek:

I got this flatware at Brimfield for a real deal, and I love it! The sword like skewers are from Istanbul! This is a good one ... so I'll have more pictures of that up soon.

And last but not least, there were the porches ... the front:

and the back:

And there you have it ... at least for now. I'm going to take a quick nap to try to catch up on some of the sleep I lost while I was up all night digging for plates and napkins, sewing a table runner, and cleaning stemware that apparently didn't really make a difference anyway! Hope you enjoyed it, and if you went on the tour, I'd love to know what you thought of all the houses.

Outdoor Fireplaces

All images via Pinterest

I'm still not even sure that an outdoor fireplace could be a reality ... but I love the ambiance of an outdoor fireplace, particularly when there isn't a fireplace inside. Entertaining around the fire, or simply enjoying it yourself is such a luxury - one that I thought I'd have to have custom designed and built. But then ... I found this: 

via

Pre-cast stone, in that simple, almost French look that I really want for the courtyard. I'm sure this comes in pieces, that are assembled by a contractor. There are add-on options, like this one: 

via

with an extension on the chimney, giving it even more of a French vibe, don't you think?