A bar cart, like this one from designstudiofurniture.com is an elegant solution for a starter bar in a smaller space.

You’re finally throwing your first whatever in your new place. Sure it’s small, but you still want your guests to feel welcome and for everyone to get along great before you pack all six of them around your tiny dinner table.

Follow my advice, greet everyone, introduce those who may not know one another and then wheel in the bar cart and ask:

“Drinks?”

Instant party.

Here are the basics you’ll need to stock your drinks tray, cart or bar.

Vodka, Gin, Bourbon, Scotch ( I prefer a single malt, but a good blend like The Famous Grouse or Johnny Walker Red works too) Tequila, Rum, Brandy, Dry Vermouth, Sweet (or Red) Vermouth, Triple Sec. if your space is limited to an occasional table top or bar cart, stick to the “regular size bottle” or “Fifth” of 750 ml.

Mixers: Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale (Vernor’s if you can get it!) Soda Water, Tonic Water, Rose’s Lime Juice, Grenadine, Angostura Bitters

Garnishes: lemons, limes, oranges, olives, cocktail onions, kosher salt, maraschino cherries (if you’re feeling daring.)

You’re going to need a few tools to do this right. Speed pourers (those spouts jammed into the necks of the bottles that you see when you order at the bar) can be helpful for mixing a large batch or two. A standard shot glass makes a good measure. A good hand-held juicer, small tray or plate for cutting up garnishes and a sharp knife will see much service.

There is a great debate about the shaker, versus the Boston shaker (a glass and metal cup combination) or the pitcher. They all have their place. Bartenders will tell you that the Boston Shaker is easier to handle when you’re making a lot of drinks since it comes apart more readily than its all metal cousin after being half frozen by your shaking. A tall, slim martini pitcher is an elegant alternative to both.

A word about glasses. I wouldn’t invest too much… A few highball, double old-fashioneds and cocktail (Martini) glasses should join your collection of wine and champagne glasses.

Next, consult a professional… invest in a great bartender’s guide. I have several, including an original copy of

The Savoy Cocktail Book

. But the one I find myself turning to again and again is

American Bar: The Artistry of Mixing Drinks

by Charles Schumann. Soon you won’t need it to mix a perfect drink for a bevy of delighted guests, but it’s still nice to throw in a surprise every once in a while — like a French 75 on Armistice Day.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
Aristophanes

Find yourself a wine shop. Then get to know the proprietor. He loves his job and has invested a lot in it……. If you’re very fortunate he will take you under his wing and reward your interest in his chosen profession.

Recently I hosted a wine tasting for the divine Ms. E. featuring a selection of Spanish wines paired with a few easy-to-make-in-advance tapas.

We began with a cava — the Rosé Cristalino which runs about $9/bottle and is wonderfully dry. Perfect for a summer like evening with temperatures in the 60s. The cava paired up nicely with .. well, with everything. A selection of Spanish cheeses — Manchego, Drunken Goat, and a creamy Manchego_gouda like thing, went very well as a first course.

On to a white Viura, a grape with which I was unfamiliar. It, too, was nicely dry and partnered with the Tortilla Espagnola (an omlette made with potatoes, onions, and lots of olive oil) to good effect. The wine tasted like a cross between a non-buttery Chardonnay and a Sauvignon Blanc.

Henry Reedy, the owner of The Strawberry Street Vineyard, and I had selected a Rioja as our red. I like Rioja’s. They are tough, no-nonsense wines and made the Albondigas (meatballs in a vaguely Moroccan sauce) and Jamon Serrano shine.

We were pretty shiny ourselves by then. As you can tell, I’m no wine expert. But that’s where Henry made his presence felt. Several of our guests had travelled to Spain and were familiar with the foods and the regions from which we selected the wines. They were able to pick Henry’s brain quizzing him on the different characteristics of the grapes and generally having a fine old time swilling the product.

The next time you’re looking for a fun alternative to the standard drinks party, get to know your local wine shop owner and treat your friends to an easy, elegant and memorable evening.

If you learn to do one thing well for a first date, make it this: learn to make a perfect Kir Royale. The aperitif that uplifts, enlivens, and seduces, the Kir Royale is a mixture of Champagne and Creme de Cassis — frankly, any ordinary sparkling wine will benefit from a shot of Chambord. The trick is to just “blush” the wine — making it the color of your date’s cheeks after that first drink or semi-indecent suggestion — by pouring the Chambord straight down the middle of the bubbly so as to not leave a trail on the sides of the flute.

Some add a twist of lemon peel. If you do, peel the lemon using a shallow cut — lots of white pith left on the underside makes for a bitter drink.

Bitter, as we learn from experience, comes later in the love affair.