Cocktail Tales: How to Plan a Cocktail Party

If you want to throw a fashionable party, then you might as well be talking about a cocktail party. Okay, beer and other alcoholic drinks are recognized as party staples but nothing beats the elegance of mixed drinks. Nothing does.

The good thing about a cocktail party is it is a hodgepodge of varied guests from the busy entrepreneurs to your friends next door. Lasting for about two hours, the guests will find themselves really socializing in such a setting.

So do you have any plans of holding your own cocktail party? Remember that a great deal of planning is needed. Here are some tips:

1. Select guests carefully.

Here’s a tip: invite a variety of people. Don’t just stick to the preppies, throw in some of the jocks or professionals as well. Such diversity will attract greater and more interesting conversations.

2. Plan the menu and shop right away.

Shop also for the decors and other paper items that you will need for the party. Stuff like flowers should only be bought on the day of the party itself.

3. Determine if you will need a caterer.

If the cocktail party is going to be huge, then a caterer comes in handy, so you can spend the time with your guests. Be sure you choose the finest and most affordable caterers around.

4. Ask yourself if you also need a bartender.

A large cocktail party might necessitate the presence of one.

5. Decorate a day before the party.

Decorating will take a lot of time and effort so devote a day for it. Make sure the pieces of furniture are out of the way.

6. Never forget the following details:

a. Setting the centerpiece and floral arrangements

b. Preparing the salad

c. Choosing the party soundtrack

d. Loading the player

e. Preparing the beverages.

7. Prepare and open the wine an hour before the party.

Other than that, be sure the hors d’oeuvres are all taken out.

8. Look out for things you might have overlooked.

Out of getting too preoccupied, you might have forgotten some things.

9. Look great.

As the host, you must look fab. Thirty minutes to an hour before the guests start coming in, get dressed and get gorgeous.

10. Have fun!

This is the most important part of the cocktail party planning process.

Cocktail party planning takes a lot of planning and fun attitude. So if you are up for it, hold your own!
 

Wine is the oldest and most popular beverage. In our modern world, where elegance and traditions are treasured, wine is associated when having a complete hearty meal. It cleanses the meticulous palate that considers taste and flavor as the basic fundamentals of a meal.

Wines are produced in different parts of the world where contemporary and classic fermentation are being used to produce an extra - ordinary taste. Based on the recent market survey, Australia is one of the many countries that produce the best wines.

Australian wines are made from a careful perfection of fermentation and patience to produce great tasting wine. The country’s vast land produces different kinds of wines where tasting each wine makes it harder to believe that they were made from the same country.

Here are the different types of Australian wines that are most popular on the market today:

1. White wines have extraordinary and a unique taste that still stands out among the others. They vary in color based from what part of the country they were made. Since Australia is an enormous country, temperature may vary too, which produces Australian white wines that vary in different color hues of yellow when poured in a glass. The deeper the hue, the richer the flavor is. The technique of swirling the glass around and sniffing it will give you a faint smell of fully ripened grapes.

2. Red wines have an unbeatable classic taste. The countries different climate conditions produce different Red wine tastes. Warmer climate regions produce more flavorful, richer and warmer tastes. While cooler climate regions produce lighter, cooler and more delicate tastes.

3. Fortified wines have a longer process of fermentation compared to any other variety of wine. It is usually blended with brandy to emphasize the wine’s alcohol taste. This process will also help retain the flavor and color of the wine. The concentration of flavor and aromatic smell depends on the number of decades it was left to mature. Warm climate regions of the country usually have an advantage in producing fortified wines.

4. Dessert wines are distinguished in their textures. Its a honey-like and glutinous texture that is made by a natural occurring fungus. These natural fungus draw in moisture, which causes the increase in sugar concentration, acidity and fruit flavor. The wine is best served along with fruit desserts, blue and soft cheese that balances acidity and creates an excellent taste.

Australian wine makers are grasping the fast and dynamic technology to produce a world-class variety of wines. They are using their expertise and variety of techniques to satisfy consumers and introduce them to a whole new taste experience.

Great ideas and tips on planning an anniversery party.

If you are into party planning and would like to get the most out of such events there are ways and means on how you could make it meaningful without spending so much money on it.

This article provides you with information, ideas and tips on organizing stuff related to party planning and activities and themes which adds up to the excitement of the event.

Planning this party could prove to be a hassle to everybody, but with enough preparation, support from family members and the right means, you will be able to turn out a party which you and your relatives will never forget.

Must-Do Activities

Coming up with unique activities should not be a problem in organizing your anniversary party. If you are a busy type, you may want to hire the service of a professional organizing institution.

But today, due to the rising cost of consultancy and event coordinating agencies, individuals themselves together with a number of relatives organize most party events.

However, this option should still be reserved for people whose budget is tight and if they prefer to make things as personal as possible.

Among a host of activities and preparations that you will need to do in party planning are the following:

Party Invitations – You should leave this one to the expert for this contains all-important information about the party, things that guests may expect in the occasion.

It is important that invitations are carefully crafted in order to put up a good impression among those who are invited in the occasion.

Speech Writers – If you are into public speaking and would like to give a personal touch to the special occasion, you may organize and create your own speech program and start gathering ideas.

Videography – A party is such a short event and your purpose is not to live by the moment but to revive and capture all the essentials and happy memories of the occasion.

This can be done through video presentation taken during the party. Transfer it to a DVD tape and distribute it to your relatives.

Slide Show production – Slide shows are particularly interesting if you are to transform photos into retrospective video album type.

If you are celebrating anniversaries among couples, ask for one or two old pictures from your relatives of their parents and have them compiled for video purposes. You can ask the help of a videographer on how they can put them into music.

Anniversary Gifts/Party Favors – Party is not complete without give-aways. The most popular party favors today are music CDs with songs used in the entire occasion.
 

Wine is one of the most important elements in every occasion. It symbolizes fun and celebration. Many party hosts prefer it because it contains less alcohol compared to other alcoholic beverages and it tastes good.

Along with the increasing demand for wine today is the steady increase of its price. A bottle of wine can cost around $30-$1,000 depending on the quality and brand.

However, for people who are on budget but wish to have wine, there is a practical way of getting one. The best option is to make homemade wine.

Making homemade wine is inexpensive and easy by using fruits and winemaking equipment that is available on the internet and local store. Many people are hooked on serving homemade wine for their own parties or other celebrations.

Homemade wines are in demand in the market today. More and more people are choosing these wines because they are guaranteed to be of a very good quality and they are very inexpensive. A large bottle of homemade wine costs $11 or less.

Homemade wines make great gifts, commonly given during weddings, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthdays. Most wine makers are sticking with this hobby because they get fulfillment and satisfaction when people appreciate their wines.

Homemade wines are very popular today. Thousands of wine recipes have been posted on the internet to guide beginners and hobbyists in making quality wine. Currently, this is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States attracting the middle-aged population. There are also hundreds of online discussions about homemade wine, tips and techniques shared by experienced wine makers.

The best thing about homemade wine is that they are created specifically to match the taste of the maker. It may take years and large amounts of money before finding the right wine that matches the tastes of a person. Why then experiment on trying all the wines on the market today when producing one is fast and easy.

Homemade wines are also a good product for starting a small business. Comparing its price from other wines on the market today, it is considered very affordable. In addition, the market is steadily growing as quality of homemade wines continue to go up.

More and more people today are satisfied with homemade wines. Not only because they are cheaper but also because they can match the quality and taste of other expensive wines.

Planning a party for someone who is turning in his time card and looking forward to a life of leisure?  Here are some helpful guidelines:

1. Invitations.  Create an invitation that speaks of what the party is for.  An imitation paycheck, fake resume containing funny descriptions of odd jobs she/he had for the past years or a newspaper headline declaring the day of the party as a holiday can be very appealing.

You can also include in the invitation gifts that the guest can bring for the retiree.  Notify them of the retiree’s hobby and wishes so they know what to bring.

2. Guest Attire.  Include in the invitation your guests’ attire.  Ask them to come dressed in stereotypical retirees outfit such as housecoats, tourist outfits, golf cloths or beach floral polo with white shorts.
 
3.  Consider your budget. Calculate the costs for food, drinks, venue and entertainment.  It is through proper budgeting that you can then determine the when, where, how and what of the occasion.
 
4. Formulate a roast. Gather all co-workers together and come up with ideas, comments and jokes. Select a good host for this part.

5. The venue.  When choosing the location for which to hold the retirement party, keep in mind the retiree’s likes and dislikes.  Does she/he like it better to have a large or small gathering?  In the evening or during the day?  Luncheon, cocktails or dinner?

5. Have a guestbook.  Make it more personal wherein the guest can sign as well as recall the good times and convey messages of luck in the future.
 
6. Make a toast and ask each co-worker to say something about the “honoree”, thanking him/her for all the good times shared as well as what he/she did that inspired them.   This can truly be inspiring as well as touching. 

7. Decorations.  Your decorations should emphasize the retiree’s job accomplishments. You can exhibit trophies, photos and awards. Table centerpieces, should emphasize the retiree’s interests or hobby such as gardening, golf, cooking, football, etc.

8. Hire either a photographer or a videographer or both if your budget permits.

9. Invite the retiree’s first boss or previous co-worker to say something about the retiree.

10. Hire a couple of dance instructors to take your guests and especially the retiree to the dance floor and show some “moves”.  Dance instructors can certainly add life to your celabration.

11. Watch the retiree enjoy the party you organized and you will enjoy it more!

 The kitchen is the perfect place for making memories. When you spend time baking, cooking and enjoying meals with your family, you create happy memories you and your children will cherish forever.The benefits of preparing and enjoying food as a family are clear. You save money and eat healthier meals. You create opportunities to connect and communicate with your children and spouse. And most importantly, you show love for your family when you spend time cooking and eating with them. Children of all ages need your attention and your time. By working together to create a meal or bake a batch of cookies, you spend valuable time together.

So, here are 10 steps to get your family cooking up memories.

Step 1:
Teach small children the fun of cooking by helping them bake cookies and cakes. If you are short on time, you can use a boxed cookie mix and spend more time decorating.

Step 2:
Encourage the littlest ones to play pretend cooking. Kids love to play with real mixing bowls, strainers and wooden spoons. These make harmless toys and can be easily thrown in the dishwasher for quick cleanup.

Step 3:
If you live by your day-timer, schedule in baking cookies with your kids. Our schedules can be so hectic that something as simple as baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies can get skipped over. Write it down and do it.

Step 4:
If you have teenagers, let them play their favorite music while they wash the lettuce and set the table.

Step 5:
Work together with your spouse to prepare the dinner and use the time to catch up on each other’s day.

Step 6:
Even if you are in a rush preparing dinner, remember to reduce your stress and focus on creating a fun atmosphere that naturally encourages the whole family to participate.

Step 7:
When spending time preparing food with your children, include lessons about healthy eating choices. Keep the conversation positive and avoid listing foods they can’t have.

Step 8:
On days where you anticipate time will be tight, consider taking a short cut by using a frozen stir-fry mix or pasta with a jar of pre-made sauce. Your family will appreciate your relaxed mood much more than a made-from-scratch dinner.

Step 9:
Share the job of grocery shopping. One week have mom take one of the children as a helper, the next week dad can go with another child. Always work from a grocery list and let your children help you retrieve items and cross them off the list.

Step 10:
Have big family meals where you share about your day. Keep the conversation fun and avoid negative lectures over dinner. Remember to laugh.

Take these steps today and make your kitchen a fun and memorable place for your whole family.

It has been a year full of laughter and tears. And right now, you just want to spend the last minutes of the year that is about to end with your family and friends. It’s as if you want to end the year cherishing the best and even the worst of the previous year and some new hopes for the coming year.

To do this, you have to incorporate the right planning. Here is a list of some tips to guide you through:

1. Make sure everybody on your list is free to come

Before you plan a New Year’s Eve party, it is best to make sure that all of your guests are still free to spend the night with you and the gang. Everything will only be put to waste if at the time of the party, you only have two to three guests that were able to come.

2. Plan the menu

Keep in mind that New Year’s Eve parties are not the usual fine dining setting or even a “sit-down” feast. The point of the party is to have everybody socialize with one another, so it’s best not to constrain them to the dinner table.

Hence, it’s best to have appetizers, finger-foods, or some dessert where you can even include your own personal relieving or stress-removing foods like chocolates or cheese.

Or if you really want to have a sumptuous feast as some sort of celebrating the coming year, you can arrange for a “potluck dinner”. This is when everybody tries to bring something to share for dinner. Just try to get the foods to be brought organized so that there will be as many varieties as possible.

3. Prepare the necessary props

Even if you and your friends would only want to have a nice and comfortable get together to celebrate the occasion, it is still best to welcome the New Year with a bang! So try to include some of the usual “noisemakers” in order to liven up the celebration.

4. Use less utensils and plates that need more cleaning

Since everybody will be very busy mingling with everybody, it would be better to use plates and utensils that need less cleaning. Hence, try to use plastic cups, plates, and utensils that can be easily thrown out in the trash can.

The bottom line is that when planning a New Year’s Eve party, the details should not be excessive. What matters most is for your guests to enjoy the party because you are all together for the New Year.

The Secret to Preparing the Perfect Paella

According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, paella is a saffron-flavored dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood. The Dictionary also explains that in the Old French and Catalan languages, paella means frying pan or pot. The traditional paella pan is flat and of large diameter, it can also have handles on each side.

In fact, paella is one of the most versatile dishes to make. Paella also has the advantage of being great to clean out the fridge and use up leftover meats and vegetables. Any combination will eventually be great the secret is in the chemistry. Paella is a dish that is generally made to feed several people. Moreover, paella is quite flavorful the next day as the tastes have had time to mix together and become stronger.

This article is not a recipe but rather an outline that describes the three basic steps to follow to make a wonderful paella while leaving the reader (the chef!) the latitude to be creative and to make the dish their own by customizing it to their taste.

First the rice.

Select a type of rice that you are comfortable using. Feel free to experiment but know that paella contains a lot of ingredients and if you are unhappy with the end result with a particular type of rice, you might end up with a lot of waste. Basmati, brown or a mix with wild rice can add great taste and texture. Follow the instructions on the package with regards to washing and cooking the rice. Finely chop some onion, garlic and tomato. Heat a saucepan and add olive oil once the saucepan is hot (make sure that the oil does not start smoking. Burnt olive oil is carcinogenic and quite unhealthy). Once the oil is hot, throw in the uncooked rice. Frying uncooked rice gives it a nutty taste. Let the rice fry in the saucepan for a minute or so. Add the chopped onion, garlic and tomato until they soften, mixing constantly. Spice with saffron, salt and pepper. Feel free to experiment. Cumin, Cayenne various fine herbs or even a bit cinnamon or cloves can easily be added for a flavoring of your own. This mixture should not be on the stove for more that three to five minutes. At high heat with constant mixing, none of the ingredients should stick but they should mix well together and soften. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove the saucepan from the burner and mix in some frozen peas. Add enough peas to make a well balanced mixture.

Second the meat.

In a frying pan at high heat, brown some pieces of chicken. Upper thighs, drumsticks, breasts…it’s all good. Do not cook the meat completely but brown the outside. Once browned, set the meat aside. Lamb can also add great flavor to your paella.

Third combining it all.

Cover the bottom of the paella pan with the uncooked rice mixture. Add the browned chicken pieces on top. Add uncooked Merguez (spicy lamb sausages) and small fish filets rolled up and fastened with a toothpick or string. Use any type of fish but make sure that its flesh will hold well together. Pour some chicken broth on top (if the broth is warm the cooking time will reduce). Note that you can also add wine for more flavor. Cover the paella dish and cook for about 45 minutes at 350F or until the rice is cooked. At this point you can add raw shrimp or muscles and cook uncovered for another five minutes.

In short, the secret to preparing the perfect paella is to make it your own!

 
Kitchen Survival Recipe Guide

You open the cookbook and see a recipe title or a photo that tempts your tastebuds. Then you start to read the recipe, realize the preparation is more difficult than you first thought, and put the book back on the shelf.

Sound Familiar? Well here’s a simple guide to help get you started:

1. Abbreviations for Measuring

Tsp. = teaspoon
Tbsp. = tablespoon, which equals 3 teaspoons
C = cup.

Tip: Get a set of measuring spoons. The set will usually have 1/4 tsp., 1/3 tsp., 1/2 tsp., 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon.

Dry measure cups look like little saucepans and can be leveled off with a knife or other straight-edged tool. They come in sets like the measuring spoons. Liquid measuring cups have ounce marking lines so you can measure however many ounces you need.

Tip: Some recipes require exact measurements to turn out right so learn to measure correctly.

2. Common Ingredients

Make sure you know what you need.

Tips:

- Baking powder and baking soda are not the same.

- Ask the produce manager at the market about fruits and vegetables, the meat manager about cuts of meat.

- When trying something new, buy ONE. You can always go back for more if it turns out well.

3. Common Terminology

- Bake: Dry heat in the oven. Set oven control to the desired temperature while you’re preparing the dish to be baked. Once the light that says it’s heating turns off, the oven is at the proper temperature. Then put in the food–for best results, center it in the oven.

- Boil: Heat a liquid until it bubbles. The faster the bubbles rise and the more bubbles you get, the hotter the liquid. Some recipes call for a gentle boil–barely bubbling–or a rolling boil–just short of boiling over. Watch so it doesn’t boil over.

- Braise: A moist cooking method using a little liquid that barely bubbles on the top of the stove or in the oven. This is a good way to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The pan should be heavy and shallow with a tight-fitting lid to keep the liquid from boiling away. There’s a lot that can be done for flavoring in your choice of liquid and of vegetables to cook with the meat.

- Broil: Turn the oven to its highest setting. Put the food on broiler pan–a 2 piece pan that allows the grease to drain away from the food. In an electric oven on the broil setting only the upper element heats, and you can regulate how fast the food cooks by how close to the element you place it. Watch your cooking time–it’s easy to overcook food in the broiler.
- Brown: Cook until the food gets light brown. Usually used for frying or baking. Ground beef should usually be browned (use a frying pan) and have the grease drained before adding it to a casserole or meat sauce.

- Fold: A gentle mixing method that moves the spoon down to the bottom of the bowl and then sweeps up, folding what was on the bottom up over the top. This is used to mix delicate ingredients such as whipped cream or beaten egg whites. These ingredients just had air whipped into them, so you don’t want to reverse that process by mixing too vigorously.

- Simmer: Heat to just the start of a boil and keep it at that point for as long as the recipe requires. The recipe will usually call for either constant stirring or stirring at certain intervals.

Now you are ready to do the shopping and prepare that recipe that you’ve always wanted to try!

Happy cooking…

12 Ways to Fight Bad Breath

Are you embarrassed of your bad breath? Is it annoying you and making you very self-conscious? I bet you can’t wait to get rid of it.

However, you are not alone when it comes to bad breath. 35 to 45 percent of the entire world’s population has chronic bad breath. So, what can you do to be rid of it? Here are 12 ways to fight bad breath:

1. More often than not, bad breath is a sign of gum disease. Get into the habit of practicing good dental hygiene. Brush your teeth well and don’t forget to floss. Also, visit your dentist to get rid of plaque buildup.

2. Don’t forget to clean your tongue as well. Get rid of that whitish coating. Pay more attention to the back of the tongue because that’s where the bacteria that cause bad breath usually reside. Some people have suggested using an inverted spoon to scrape the tongue. However, it is more effective to use a tongue scrapper.

3. Choose your breath mints or chewing gum wisely. Make sure they are sugar-free. Sugar feeds the bacteria that cause bad breath. So your breath may smell nice temporarily but the bad breath will return later and may smell even worse. Choose instead products that have xylitol. It’s a natural sweetener that helps to buffer acidity and reduce the build-up of plaque-causing bacteria.

4. Prevent a dry mouth. Saliva is a great help in washing away food particles and bacteria. To keep your mouth moist, make sure you drink plenty of water. Minimize your intake of coffee, soft drinks and alcohol. Japanese scientists recommend green tea. They say it promotes healing of damaged gums as well as contains antioxidant polyphenols. Dry mouth is also a result of breathing through the mouth. This usually happens when you sleep.

5. Be careful of which mouthwash you use. Those with alcohol content will contribute to a dry mouth. Look instead for mouthwashes with chlorine dioxide. It will directly attack the volatile sulfur compounds responsible for bad breath.

6. It is no secret that garlic, onions and curry spices give you bad breath. However, the effect is only temporary, as eventually, your body will get rid of those foods. However, if you need a quick fix and brushing your teeth doesn’t get rid of the smell, you can try drinking lemonade or suck a lemon wedge sprinkled with salt.

7. Chlorophyll has been recognized as a powerful breath freshener. Get a healthy dose of chlorophyll by chewing on fresh parsley. You can also chew on spirulina tablets or drink chlorophyll rich drinks such as wheat-grass.

8. Herbal remedies include chewing on fennel or anise seeds. You can also make a tea from cloves and use it as a mouthwash. Cloves are said to have antiseptic properties.

9. Do you have milk intolerance? Eliminate dairy products from your diet and see if your bad breath goes away.

10. Restore and maintain your intestinal flora with probiotics. Also, improve the function of your large intestine by eating lots of fiber rich foods.

11. Tea tree oil also does well to vanquish bad breath. In the market you can find tea tree oil floss, mouthwash, toothpastes and mouth spray. What works too is putting one or two drops of tea tree oil straight from the bottle onto your toothbrush before you brush.

12. Check for an underlying medical condition such as tonsillitis, diabetes, intestinal disease, lung disease, liver disorder or chronic sinusitis.