Hello Cocktails Lovers,
The theme of this month’s letter isn’t about entertaining you with my cocktail exploits and advice here on the blog, which I do hope is vaguely entertaining or, at the very least, useful. It’s about this time of year and what is brings to my mind. We are slipping swiftly into the season of entertaining. Time to invite all those friends around to get seasonally convivial!
I’ve been working on my Fall/Winter cocktail menu that I’ll be serving up to guests here at Devil & Co. “Devil & Co” is really just our apartment. Yep, I’m super twee like that and I’m one of those people who has taken to naming their living space. I didn’t make up the name to sound catchy (although I hope it does). It’s a shortened version of both my and the Mr’s last names. Anyway, I’m pretty happy with the resulting handful of cocktails I’ve been working on and will be printing it up to put in my house cocktail menu holder (yep, twee like that, too) And, I look forward to sharing it with friends over the coming months. I’ll be writing up a post later on this week about what went into creating this seasonal menu and some useful tips about creating your own home bar drinks menu.
This month is also American Thanksgiving, which is always a favorite of mine as it’s centered around spending time with friends and family, while eating and drinking really well. What’s not to like there? So, of course, I’m starting to think about how to spend it this year. Do I head to the Red House annual potluck (one of my favorite ways to spend it)? Do I convince a few Americans to head to one of the restaurant Turkey day dinners happening around town? Do I accept an invite to join friends at their place or invite others around here and host myself? However, I spend it, I’ll be sure to spend it with good friends.
And, finally, next month will kick the entertaining into high gear. We’re throwing a daytime Christmas party this year with a bit of brunch that will likely roll into afternoon mulled wine and finish with early evening aperitifs. I’m keeping it small because I want to really be able to pay attention to the guests that grace us with their company. I want to be able to make them feel special because, to me, that’s good entertaining; making friends feel like they’re the center of the party, the dinner, the evening. And if you surround yourself with good friends, that should be an easy task.
So, over the next few weeks, I’ll be testing out some more cocktail recipes worthy of Christmas parties like hot buttered rum, mulled wine or eggnog. I’ll also be playing around with a recipe for bourbon eggnog cake, which will eventually not only make an appearance on my own table over the next several weeks, but will hopefully make a nice hostess gift for any holiday parties to which we’re invited. Because, when I think of entertaining, it’s not just receiving friends here – but also about being a guest. Taking the time and making the effort to invite me into your home is a very generous gesture. So, I like to bring something along, when you can, to say “thanks for making me feel special.”
And, thanks to all of you who come around here to spend time with the blog. Of course, you make me feel special. So, thanks to all of you, too!
Cheers,
Forest
