The Speakeasy: A Prohibition Cocktail Party

      

Last year's Roaring 20's party was so much fun that we wanted to do it again this year but invite more friends.  So as magical as the sit-down Gatsby-esque dinner was, we switched things up and focused on the cocktails and snacks for a Speakeasy-themed cocktail party.  Fact: this is a party designed to get drunk, making it a lively one.  Of all the prohibition cocktails we made, The Penicillin (scotch, lemon, ginger, honey, laphroaig, angostura bitters) was my favorite and definitely gets one feeling all warm & fuzzy.  Snacks were salty and filling, enough to sop up some of the booze.  And we really went for it with the 1920s themed desserts.  Both rice krispies and hostess cupcakes were invented in the 1920s, so we made homemade versions of the marshmallow filled cakes and browned our butter for extra special rice krispy treats.  The 20's are also known for a boom of new candies: Charleston Chews, Charms Sweet & Sour Pops, peanut cups and many more!  Old Time Candy is an amazing on-line source for old-fashioned sweets and made our colorful candy bar very festive. Their retro candies, organized by decade, makes me want to throw an 80's party just so I can have Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape, Crybabies, gummy worms & Nerds: my childhood!

The Menu

sips

prohibition cocktail menu

ramos gin fizz

gin, lemon, lime, orange, orange blossom water, egg white

new old fashioned

bourbon, fee brother's cherry bitters, orange peel

penicillin 

scotch, lemon, ginger, honey, laphroaig, angostura bitters

mary pickford

white rum, pineapple, grenadine, maraschino liqueur

dirty martini

vodka or gin, dirty sue premium olive juice

snacks

peanuts & pretzels

crudites & relish platter with green goddess dressing

potato chips & onion dip

bloody mary shrimp cocktails

caesar salad on romaine spears

curried deviled eggs

grilled cheese squares with tomato soup

mini pastrami & sauerkraut finger sandwiches with thousand island dressing

sweets

homemade hostess cupcakes

brown butter rice krispy treats

1920s candy bar:

charleston chews, charms sweet & sour pops, mexican hats, big hunk, big cherry, stick candy, candy buttons, necco wafers, peanut butter cups, twizzlers & candy cigarettes 

Cheese & Sparkling

Yes red wine is a delicious pairing for cheese.  But, I'm not crazy about drinking red wine during the day.  So for an afternoon party, say from 4-6, cheese and sparkling is a great option.  We did a bellini bar with prosecco and fresh fruit purees--raspberry, blackberry, mango & peach--where guests could help themselves.  While I'll always opt for the straight stuff, colorful fruit in pretty bottles makes for a nice presentation and it feels very Spring/Summer.  For the cheeses, I'm a big fan of sampling before buying, so I love to go to Joan's on Third and taste a few before making my selections.  In general, I aim for at least one sheep, one goat and one cow and then pick two more favorites.  I like a mix of hard & soft, rich & tangy, plus one with a little funk.  It's nice to buy something unexpected like a goat cheddar.  For accoutrements, the more the merrier: fig jam, candied walnuts, quince paste, dried fruits, fresh fruits, local honey and an assortment of crackers & bread (grilled is a nice touch).  The chalkboard cheese signs can be found here, but just writing the names of the cheeses directly onto the parchment paper also works.  Of all of the parties I've ever done, this might be the most 'make ahead' of them all.  In fact, cheeses should be out for at least a few hours to be especially delicious.  Everything is out before guests arrive and you can really enjoy your own fete.  

The Menu

sips

bellini bar

prosecco with raspberry, blackberry, mango & peach purees with fresh fruits for garnish

snacks

cheese board, walnuts, olives, dried stone fruit, honey, fig jam, quince paste, assorted crackers 

sweet

chocolate espresso cookies

strawberries with soured cream & brown sugar

Bridge Club

My friend Ahna O'Reilly is perfect as Miss Elizabeth Leefolt in the film The Help. When Ahna originally told me that she had been cast in the role, I almost died with excitement. So when it came time to celebrate the movie, I was thrilled to get to make a party in its honor. While the obvious choice would've been a Mississippi themed spread, the whole cast was too spoiled by the real stuff while filming to compete. Instead, I made a Californian buffet with lady-like touches, served in a charming garden. I had fun with new versions of finger foods--e.g. blt tea sandwiches and savory cornmeal shortcake sliders with white cheddar, creme fraiche and chives-- and dainty individual desserts. Amy also kept the decor sweet and elegant with lush garlands, white lights & lanterns, and plenty of gorgeous flowers (after all, there were Southern women in attendance!). I couldn't be more proud of Ahna and think the party managed to hold a candle to her performance.

The Menu

cocktails

cucumber mint gimlets

blackberry thyme margaritas

appetizers

savory cornmeal shortcake sliders with creme fraiche, sharp white cheddar & chives

blt tea sandwiches

chilled zucchini soup shots with cumin scented bay shrimp

pickled cherries, ricotta & basil crostini

dinner buffet

grilled lamb skewers on rosemary branches

with feta salsa verde

roast shrimp with roasted garlic lemon boy tomato sauce & purple basil

sprouted shelling beans with pecorino, shallots & thyme

big green salad with little gems & cucumbers will dill yogurt dressing

shaved summer squash with pine nuts & mint

tomato bread pudding

dessert

dark chocolate pot de cremes

lemon blueberry parfaits

Spring Cocktail Fare

Spring is here and the days are longer. To celebrate, we threw a cocktail party featuring the farmer's markets' new arrivals. Everything was totally made ahead and served buffet-style, room temp. These swiss chard and sausage frittata bites were a big hit and will now be a go-to recipe for me. (I used sharp white cheddar but otherwise followed the recipe to a T). Also, the combination of English peas, fresh mint, woodsy mushrooms, salty hard ricotta and nutty farro, made for an incredibly refreshing spring salad. Salad Nicoise skewers were another fun new appetizer; pickled quail eggs were perfect for skewering! And Martha's carrot cake cookie sandwiches with cream cheese filling? Much better than a cupcake!

The Menu

swiss chard and sausage frittata bites

artichoke, lemon, bresaola crostini

fig jam, goat cheese, mint crostini

white bean, rosemary crostini

pesto grilled shrimp with cucumber yogurt dip

salad nicoise skewers: grilled albacore, kalamata olives, cherry heirloom tomatoes, pickled quail eggs, snap peas

curried english pea soup shots

grilled carrots and asparagus

fennel slaw

wild mushroom, pea, ricotta, walnut, farro salad

sweets

carrot cake cookie sandwiches with cream cheese filling

lemon pistachio cookies

spring strawberries

chocolate espresso cookies