The hottest home accessory I can think of right now is a bar cart! It’s all the rage! Why? Because everyone loves a cocktail, and everyone loves an easily accessible cocktail. This functional piece of furniture allows you to proudly display your collection of liquor and glasses, and everything is presented in a way that makes you feel like you’re living in a suite at The Plaza.
The Rosalind Tea Cart is one of my favorite options right now…the perfect marriage of form, finish and function.
So once you have that perfect bar cart for your space, what exactly should you have on it? What are the essentials? Well, I asked my good friend, Warren Bobrow – a critically acclaimed mixologist and author of several amazing cocktail books – to chime in on the subject.
For a well-rounded bar, he suggests having the following supplies on hand :
- A London dry gin, like Boodles.
- A botanical gin, like Hendrick’s.
- A rye whiskey.
- A bourbon for mixing, like Four Roses.
- A vodka, like the new Mamont from Siberia.
- A bottle of dry vermouth, like Dolin, and sweet vermouth, like Carpano – be sure to refrigerate.
- For rum, get a blend, like Mezan XO, and a single batch, like the Mezan Panama 2006.
- An orange-flavored cordial, so you can use it in margaritas or gin, vodka and even bourbon-based cocktails.
- A fine tequila (and if you’re super esoteric, a bottle of Mescal. No worms though! That just isn’t done.)
- A bottle of single malt scotch from India or Japan as a refreshing counterpart to your basic scotch whiskey.
A selection of cane sugar sodas, tonic – sweet and dry – and some shrub syrups are fun, too. There are also plenty of funky bitters that come in all sizes and shapes and have droppers.
One wild card ingredient is balsamic vinegar! Bobrow confesses that he loves making cocktails with it. He says it adds a certain twang to the drink. A white balsamic can also sit on the bar, as it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.
So now that your bar cart is stocked, what to make? Well, let’s impress your guests with a yummy Manhattan recipe!
- Fill three quarters of a cocktail glass with ice
- Add 3-5 oz of bourbon whiskey
- Add 1 tbsp of white balsamic vinegar
- Add 1/2 oz of Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
- Stir 40 times…
- Strain into a pre-chilled martini glass that has a couple drops of orange bitters, and garnish your drink with a cherry
Now that you have the best cocktails and decor, your home will be the new hot spot in no time. Cheers!