Although messing up a drink recipe doesn’t sound like the best way to make a great tasting cocktail, one Italian drink proves that happy accidents are possible. A Negroni Sbagliato cocktail by Toronto bar D.W. Alexander is the perfect addition to a fun evening. This sparkling punch-like mixture has a nice, palatable taste that goes great at dinner parties. It’s a refreshingly light cocktail with a pleasant red color that can be garnished with an array of fresh fruits to make a beautiful springtime concoction. The recipe is quite simple:

Negroni Sbagliato Cocktail Recipe

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Ingredients

1oz Gin
1oz Sweet Vermouth
1oz Cava (or a similarly sweet sparkling white wine)
OPTIONAL: Fresh seasonal fruit (oranges, limes, grapefruits, etc.)
NOTE: To make a larger portion size which can be served to guests, you can add as much of each ingredient as needed, but always keep the portions equal. For example, if you use 5oz of Gin, you must use 5oz of the other two ingredients, etc.

Directions

1. Mix together Gin and Sweet Vermouth into a glass filled with ice. Stir them gently to combine. If you’re making a party size portion, you can use a punch bowl with ice in it.
2. If you plan to use fresh fruit garnishes, slice the fruit into wheels. Put the fruit slice(s) into your drink mixture.
3. Top the mixture with Cava sparkling wine. Stir briefly to combine. Garnish with a leftover fruit wheel of your choice.

Variations

The great thing about this cocktail is that you can easily “mess it up” further to make the flavor or appearance suit any occasion. Here are a few tasty variations to the Negroni Sbagliato cocktail:

1. You can make a lighter cocktail mix by nixing the Gin. Instead, use a light Campari in the equivalent amount. This is a popular substitution, and the red color of Campari adds a pleasing look to your glass.
2. Spice up your garnish by sprinkling fresh ground cinnamon on top of the entire punch bowl mixture. Wait until you have done all of the necessary stirring, so that the cinnamon will simply rest on top and add a touch of spice along with an attractive dusted appearance to the cocktail.
3. Change it up to add a bit of a kick to the recipe. Substitute good vodka for the Gin and you will end up with a Negroski cocktail. This is stronger and has a different flavor, but that might be what you prefer if you’re not a fan of Gin.

What cocktail recipes are you making this weekend?

Summer Entertaining: How to Plan a Casual Cocktail Party 

Image via: Cater Source

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Choose a Theme:

We’re not necessarily advocating that you ask your guests to show up in costume – though that certainly is an option. However, having a theme makes the planning stages of your pre-party prep much easier. Once you have a theme in mind, you can tailor your drink, food, and decoration selections to fit within those parameters. Even if you strive for more of a feeling than an all-out theme – such as “sophisticated” or “laid-back” – it can help to give yourself and your guests a little direction.

Create a Drink Menu:

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a fully stocked bar with multiple liquors and bitters to throw an unforgettable cocktail party. Instead, focus on creating a cocktail menu that fit within your party’s theme while keeping costs down and saving you from having to serve as bartender all night long. Offer three cocktails – one that sweeter, one that is more classic, and one that fits somewhere between the two. To make things even easier, try to select cocktails where the ingredients overlap. As far as the amounts, plan on each of your guests having two cocktails during the first hour of the party and one cocktail during each additional hour.

Image Via: Brides

Serve Multiple Hor D’oeuvres:

There’s no need to worry about planning a sit-down meal with this one. Simply serve a few hor d’oeuvres, or small finger foods that can be eaten in one or two bites. If your party falls outside of regular meal time hours, offer five or six choices of hor d’oeuvres, preparing two per person. However, if your cocktail party is meant to take the place of a meal, you should have eight to ten distinct bites and make sure there is enough for each person to eat three. Choose recipes that can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature to lighten your workload

Image Via: William Senoma

Set the Scene for Mingling:

Luckily, you don’t have to orchestrate much of the entertainment during cocktail parties since most guests will be content to mingle. Just be sure to set up the space ahead of time that will get people talking. Serve the food on a single large buffet table or space the dishes out on multiple smaller ones, leaving an easy-to-access walkway between them. While you don’t need a ton of seating, there should be enough for about 20% of your guests to be seated at the same time. Rather than full place settings and silverware, focus on napkins and smaller cocktail plates and don’t forget to designate a spot for people to dispose of them once they’re done snacking. Add in a few cute decorations, enough lighting, and some soft background music for your party to be a hit.

Image Via: Flora Grubb

Summer entertaining doesn’t get any simpler than a cocktail party. You provide some drinks and a couple snacks while your guests will take care of the rest. Follow these tips to ensure that your next cocktail party will be unforgettable.

Do you have a great cocktail party tip or recipe? Share it with us in the comments below.