The cocktail party is an estimable but endangered social institution. Its demise may be blamed on factors as various as the waning popularity of hard liquor, the regrettable decline of the sibling arts of conversation and flirtation, and the growing acceptance in this country of the European idea that dinner by itself is sufficient diversion for an evening. (The cocktail party, remember, is an American invention.) We steadfastly defend the cocktail party, however, both as an abstract notion and as an uncomplicated and extremely pleasant means of entertaining. And we canΓÇÖt help pointing out that it is also a relatively painless means of entertaining business contacts and of discharging social obligations to those with whom you may not care to share an entire meal.
A good cocktail party begins with good liquors (and wines and beers if you like); ΓÇ£houseΓÇ¥ brands reflect on the quality of the house. Unless you plan to hire a professional bartender or the number of guests is so small that you or a volunteer guest can handle mixology duties without missing the fun, itΓÇÖs best to serve just one type of cocktail, made up in batchesΓÇöpitchers of martinis or margaritas, for example. Or simply display exemplars of the four ΓÇ£basicΓÇ¥ liquors (Scotch, bourbon, gin, and vodka) with an assortment of appropriate mixes, a bucket of ice, glasses in several sizes, and a long-handled bar spoon, and let guests serve themselves highballs and ΓÇ£rocksΓÇ¥ drinks. Mixes aside, there should always be something nonalcoholic available; sparkling mineral water is practically de rigueur these days, and freshly squeezed orange juice is never out of place.
There must always be food at a cocktail party, of course, or the cocktails will quickly overwhelm the party. The food offered need not be complicated, nor even homemade. Pâtés and terrines purchased from a specialty food shop or an assortment of well-chosen cheeses, in either case served with crackers or sliced breads of good quality, are sufficient for an informal gathering. More sophisticated cocktail parties call for elegant hors d’oeuvre or, perhaps, an attractive service of smoked salmon or even caviar. In general, cocktail parties shouldn’t last more than two hours, and those two hours should be found somewhere between 5 and 8 P.M.—never later, unless enough food is being served to constitute a light dinner. A shorter cocktail period is appropriate if it is a prelude to another event—a dinner out with the same guests, for instance, or an expedition to the theater. In this case, keep both drinks and food as simple as possible: Champagne and smoked salmon would be perfect.
A variation on the cocktail party, usually specific to the year-end holidays, is the open house. The same basic rules apply, but such an event may run for three to four hours or even more, with the expectation that guests will drop by at their convenience during that period of time but rarely stay more than an hour or so. This means of entertaining is particularly appropriate for busy holiday weekends, for which guests may be expected to have several invitations; it also permits the host to invite a larger number of people than might fit comfortably in the available quarters at one time. Because of the inevitable ebb and flow of guests, passed finger foods are inappropriate to an open house of any size and duration, and food tends to be rather more substantial than at a simple cocktail party. A modified buffet table is more appropriate, probably involving nothing that needs to be kept warm; baked ham, turkey, and a whole poached salmon make attractive and satisfying centerpieces for the array.
