Lucie Monk Carter
In need of a guardian angel to aid in all your holiday hosting? We asked George Krause IV, of Doe’s Eat Place and the Greater Baton Rouge Bartenders’ Guild, to explain how to pull off the libations side of a holiday gathering in a way that suggests to your guests, “Why yes, I am a gourmand and a genius!” and “Oh, this little to-do? Came together all on its own …”
George was happy to help. “Unless you plan on playing bartender instead of host, I would recommend punches and large-batch cocktails,” said George, who has found his own balance as both executive chef and head bartender at Doe’s Eat Place. “This will not only allow the guests to serve themselves, it will cause people to make many trips to the source, perfect ground for new conversations. Another advantage of large-batch drinks is the ability to control the amount of alcohol in every cup. You can basically help everybody pace themselves and ensure your home doesn’t end up looking like the recovery scene from The Hangover in the morning.”
A glimpse inside our 2016 holiday cocktail guide.
Our beautiful booklet—which you can download for free here—contains recipes for the Hot Toddy, from-scratch Eggnog (you’ll never settle for the Trader Joe’s carton again), and even Winter Mead, accompanied by the lively histories behind each. (“A drink is just a mixture of ingredients in a glass,” George explained. “A cocktail is a well-thought-out mixture of ingredients with a great story behind it.”)
Don’t forget to print out the page of fun holiday gift tags, perfect for attaching to that bottle of rum or jug of whiskey you’ll bring to your next holiday housewarming. Salut!
