House Party 3
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Bartending
No, we don’t need to drink to have fun, but it’s true that a few well-poured cocktails can turn a good soirée into a great one. We looked to Cedric Adams, who’s been manning Boston bars for almost 20 years (he’s currently at the Beehive and Silvertone) for advice on how to mix ’em, shake ’em, and pour ’em like a pro.
First and foremost, stocking your bar is key. Adams suggests buying the basics: vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, scotch, and tequila. Purchase a case of beer for every 25 people, plus a whopping three pounds of ice per guest and whatever mixers, garnishes, and add-ins you think you might need. “If I’m going to do a party during the summer, I like to pick one cocktail or specialty drink so that, if you come to my party, you’re going to get something that you normally won’t get anywhere else,” Adams says. Finally, be sure you’re stocked with plenty of glassware that goes with whatever you’re planning to serve; it’s an easy thing to rent if your personal collection falls short.
If you need to brush up on your drink-mixing skills, there are three classic cocktails that Adams suggests mastering before your guests arrive: the martini, the Manhattan, and the Old Fashioned. But trust your partygoers’ instincts, too: they’ll often know what they want, and they won’t mind mixing it themselves. “I might give you your first drink when you come in, and, yeah, I will come by and check and ask people if they want something,” says Adams. “But I will also have the stuff out if someone wants to make their own creation.” After all, even Cedric Adams needs to get out from behind the bar sometimes.
