Wine & spirits: Tips from the pros

Also, don't drag all your bottles out and ask what guests would like. Preselect a couple of special cocktails to pair with the hors d'oeuvres and offer only those. Or set a theme and choose three drinks that cover a range of tastes and colours, from sweet to salty. Practise making those drinks ahead of time to develop speed, accuracy, consistency and an appealing presentation.

Have everything prepared well in advance, just like a chef's mise en place. Once guests begin to arrive, there's no time to cut lemon wedges or dig through drawers looking for olive picks.

Now, time for a reality check: No matter what your level of expertise in preparing cocktails and specialized drinks, if there's a man in your life, your biggest challenge may be getting access to the shakers and swizzle sticks. When it comes to the barbecue and bar, that line in the sand has already been drawn!

Tools of the trade
Before you mix your first drink, here's what you'll need to stock behind the bar.

Nonnegotiables for professional mixologists:
• chlorine-free ice
• fresh garnishes
• spotless glassware

Common "condiments" used by experts:
• Angostura Bitters
• shaved chocolate
• Frank's RedHot sauce
• Rose's Grenadine
• horseradish
• Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• rosewater
• Rose's Lime Cordial
• simple sugar syrup

Favourite accessories of the pros:
• straws, swizzle sticks, and glassware appropriate to the drink(s) you're mixing
• industrial-strength blender
• premeasured pour spouts on liquor bottles (available at restaurant supply shops)
• a shot glass or jigger

Read more in Food & Entertaining and Wine & Spirits