2019-11-01 Food & Wine USA

70 NOVEMBER 2019

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HOLIDAY HOSTING is a big responsibility—but there’s no reason to let it consume you.

This season, reconsider your approach to service, and take your cues from fine-

dining restaurants: Set your mise en place and focus on the art of gathering. After

all, the heart of our holiday celebrations isn’t the logistics, but the people we bring

together. Here’s how to keep it relaxed so you can be fully present at your next party.

PREPARE AHEAD

A few days before the

event, collect your in-

gredients, start making

syrups and special ice,

and figure out what space

you’ll need for beverages

and glassware. Batch

cocktails like the Smoky

Mezcal-Fig Sour and Earl

Grey–Aquavit Spritz (see

p. 72) can be made the

night before so on the

day of, you can just set

out your garnishes, let

guests assemble their own

drinks, and mingle.

SERVE THYSELF

If you don’t want to

work a bartending shift

in your own home, have

self-serve options, like

beer and wine, plus batch

cocktails in a pitcher or

punch bowl. This frees

you up and allows guests

to take ownership of

their drinking. The key

is making sure not to put

everything out at once.

Set some of the beer and

wine out along with half

of the cocktails, and refill

throughout the night.

RENT THE DISHES

If you’re entertaining a

crowd, don’t go out and

buy festive glassware—rent

it. Racks for glassware

generally come in sets

of 15 to 25 starting at 40

cents a glass, and you

don’t have to worry about

cleaning them afterward.

Punch bowls are fragile

and bound to break if you

are putting them to good

use. Rent them, or buy

them inexpensively at

thrift stores, estate sales,

eBay, and discount stores.

Smoky Mezcal-Fig Sour

ACTIVE 20 MIN; TOTAL 8 HR 50 MIN,

INCLUDING 8 HR CHILLING

SERVES 12

Spicy-sweet fig-ginger syrup, bright

lemon juice, and freshly grated nut-

meg round out the intensely smoky

mezcal in this refreshing, balanced

cocktail while still letting the bold

liquor shine.

11 / 3 cups simple syrup

10 dried figs, halved

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger,

peeled and thinly sliced

(about^1 / 3 cup)

1 (750-ml.) bottle mezcal

11 / 4 cups fresh lemon juice

(from 8 large lemons)

(^3) / (^4) cup water
Whole nutmeg

1. Combine simple syrup, figs, and
   ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to
   a boil over medium. Reduce heat to
   low, and simmer until figs are soft-
   ened, about 5 minutes. Remove
   from heat, and let cool 30 minutes.
   Refrigerate mixture, covered, 8
   hours or overnight. Pour mixture
   through a fine wire-mesh strainer
   into a bowl; discard solids. Store in
   an airtight container up to 1 week.


2. Place mezcal in a pitcher. Pour

(^11) / 4 cups fig-ginger syrup through a
fine-mesh sieve into pitcher, fol-
lowed by lemon juice and^3 / 4 cup
water. Refrigerate until chilled, 2
hours or up to overnight. Stir before
serving. Pour over large ice cubes
into rocks glasses. Garnish servings
with freshly grated nutmeg.
MAKE AHEAD Fig-ginger syrup can
be made up to 1 week ahead of time.
NOTE To make simple syrup, heat
equal parts sugar and water until
sugar dissolves. Let cool.