It’s summer in British Columbia which means that it’s time for barbeques, casual dinners with friends, and leisurely entertaining! Unexpected visits from friends are what your summer memories are made of. The art of entertaining is all about finding joy in hospitality, and you’re going to be a lot more joyful if you already have a good set up for when friends knock on the door.
A well styled and stocked bar cart is a key ingredient to any social call. Here’s how you can have a beautiful, well stocked bar cart ready for any night of the week!
To start with, you will need to actually have a bar cart, or a piece of furniture that is up to the challenge.
Not all home bar set ups need to use a traditional “bar cart.” These can be expensive and not always as practical as they are supposed to be. We suggest that you actually purchase a well crafted accent table that will be much more functional as well as incredibly stylish. We love the Abbonto accent table, and the Enzo Side Table. Both of these tables have extra storage for those more necessary, but less attractive bar cart essentials like napkins, corkscrews, bottle openers, etc. They also have plenty of visible space for a nice display of bottles and glassware.
Once you have chosen your bar cart, it’s time to stock it! This is the fun part. Start with the essentials. You will need to stock the basics to start: vodka, gin, bourbon, rum, and tequila. After that, think of the cocktails you like to drink while you’re out and then get the ingredients to make them! Chances are you will be looking for some bitters, vermouth, and citrus. You will also need to have on hand some basic tools: a mixer, shaker tin with built in strainer, bar spoons, ice bucket for chilled wine, ice molds, citrus peeler, and a citrus juicer.
Lastly, choose some versatile and attractive glassware. Two types, something like a tumbler, and something with a stem, should be enough to get you started.
Now, get practising! Having a small library of cocktail books with recipes is a great way to start your career as an at home bartender.