2019 Q4 Iowa Spirits - 14

5. Make a list of plates, utensils, cups, etc. based
on your food and beverage plans.
; For food service: platters, serving bowls, serving utensils, and hot pads for your dishes and for
pot-luck possibilities.
; For beverage service: cups, glasses, etc.;
coolers or ice buckets; cocktail tools including
jigger, shaker, mixer, bar spoon, and muddler;
punch bowl and/or pitchers; and beer and wine
bottle openers.
; Guest use: plates, bowls, forks, spoons,
knives, napkins.

BE NAUGHTY AND NICE
GRINCH SPRITZER
Iowa Distilling, Cumming

1½ oz. Zone Vodka
¾ oz. key lime pie syrup
½ oz. coconut cream
Shake then strain over fresh ice. Fill the glass the
rest of the way up with lemon-lime soda.

PUMPKIN LATTE MARTINI
Mississippi River Distilling, LeClaire

1 oz. River Pilot Vodka
1 oz. Iowa Coffee Company Liqueur

1 oz. whole milk

KEEP-IT-SIMPLE COCKTAILS

2 oz. pumpkin liqueur (try Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin
Pie Cream Liqueur)

Use place-card holders to display recipe cards for a few simple
drinks: Gin and Tonic, Cuba Libre (aka rum and Coke), Black Russian
(coffee liqueur and vodka), Dark 'n' Stormy (rum topped with ginger
beer, with an optional lime wedge garnish), and Wine Spritzer or
Wine Cooler (wine with club soda, tonic water, or lemon-lime soda).
Ideally, place the bar station near a sink so guests can rinse the jigger
after mixing.
Include some Iowa favorites, too:

SANTA'S WELCOME
From Iowa Distilling,
Cumming

1½ oz. Prairie Fire
Cinnamon Whiskey
2 oz. egg nog
Pour the
ingredients over ice
in a rocks glass and
stir gently.

SALTED CARAMEL OLD
FASHIONED
Cedar Ridge Distillery, Swisher

2 oz. Cedar Ridge bourbon
½ oz. salted caramel syrup
dash whiskey barrel bitters
burnt orange peel for garnish
Build over a large ice cube in
a rocks glass.

TEMPLETON GINGER
Templeton Rye, Templeton

1½ oz. Templeton Rye
4 oz. ginger ale
Fill a Collins or highball glass
with ice. Add whiskey and
ginger ale.

14 IOWA SPIRITS

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Serve in a
chilled martini glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

6. Shop!
Shop for non-perishables early. If you don't find
specialty ingredients locally, you'll still have time
to order online.
7. Plan a food and drink line that moves
seamlessly.
Consider creative ways to avoid buffet-line bottlenecks: serve food and drinks separately, place
utensils at both ends of the line, etc. Better yet,
scatter stations throughout your entertainment
space, ditching the buffet line and encouraging
mingling among guests.
8. Note your music and entertainment strategy.
; Create a play list or go for Spotify or Pandora.
; Plan for "dis-engaging entertainment" that
will stimulate conversation, not kill it, like games,
music videos, and screensavers of friends'
photos.
9. Decorate!
Except for perishables like floral arrangements,
most of your decorations can go up early, removing last-minute stress and helping you get into
the spirit.

2019 Q4 Iowa Spirits

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