Guest post by Canard, Inc.
For brides who want to mix things up at their wedding receptions with drinks and desserts, a double-duty bar does the trick and offers guests the ultimate dining experience!
First, start with a larger bar for pre-dinner cocktails. This will give your bartenders/mixologists and guests plenty of room for mixing and mingling and will also give your guests a chance to inquire about the specialty cocktail options.
Here are two creative specialty cocktails you can ask your mixologist to serve at your wedding!
Rose Gimlet (pictured left)
- 1-1/4 oz rosehip-infused gin*
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice (or substitute 1 oz Rose’s lime juice for simple syrup and fresh lime juice)
- 3 drops rose water
- Edible rose petals (for garnish)
Shake infused gin, simple syrup, lime juice, and rose water with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with edible rose petals.
For the infused gin –
- 1/2 cup dried rosehips
- 1L bottle of your favorite gin
Pour gin in a large pitcher, add dried rose hips and cover pitcher. Leave in a warm place (on the counter should work) overnight. The infused gin can then be returned to the bottle and kept for future use, or can be strained and used immediately.
Cape Cod Caviar (pictured right, created by Ryan Maerz of Canard, Inc.)
- 3 oz sparkling vodka
- 1-1/2 oz triple sec
- Splash of white cranberry
- Lime wedges (for garnish)
- 5 grams sodium alginate
- 500 grams cranberry juice
- 10 grams calcium chloride
- 1500 grams cold water
- 1 syringe
To make Cranberry Caviar, mix sodium alginate and cranberry juice and blend well with hand blender. Let liquid sit for 3-4 hours to release any gasses. Whisk together calcium chloride and water in large bowl until well combined. Fill the syringe with the cranberry mixture. Begin to push droplets from the syringe into the calcium-water bath. Keep in mind, the longer the droplets sit the less juicy the “caviar” will be. Gently remove caviar from bath with slotted spoon, and place in another dish/bowl filled with cold water to gently rinse them off. Combine vodka, triple sec, and white cranberry and shake with ice to chill. Pour into a martini glass, garnish with cranberry caviar and lime twist, and serve straight up.
While everyone is seated during dinner, re-configure the bar to include a dessert buffet of your favorite sweets! When guests come back to the bar for another cocktail, they will be delighted by the visual display showcasing fun and various dessert items for them to try!
Another great aspect of the double-duty bar is that the guests will already be familiar with the bartenders and will feel completely comfortable lingering at the bar to chat and ask questions about the array of assorted treats in front of them.
The bartenders/mixologists can also offer cordials to pair with each guests’ dessert selections, thus topping things off with a memorable and personal touch. With your guests feeling great, the double-duty bar will be a sure way to keep the party going long after dinner!
Photos, tips and recipes courtesy of Canard, Inc., an award-winning luxury catering company in New York City with a reputation for creatively serving NYC’s top events.