Classic cocktails, booze-free drinks and how much of everything to serve

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THE ART OF THE PARTY

Throwing a good party should be enormous fun – for your guests and for you – says bon viveur and delicious. columnist Kay Plunkett-Hogge. Here’s her timetested and trusted expert advice to help everything go with a swing

PLANNING

This is what it all comes down to. The more you can prepare ahead, the easier your party will be. For a start, you’ll be more relaxed and so will your friends. The problem is that so many of us suffer from performance anxiety when it comes to entertaining, and we shouldn’t. Everyone you’ve invited is meant to be a friend, so what can go wrong?

MY GOLDEN RULES OF PARTY-GIVING

I don’t want to state the obvious, but you’d be amazed how many stressful moments can be avoided with a little forethought – not least about the guest list…

• If it’s a party to welcome your new boss, it’s going to be a very different affair from the one that marks the start of the football season. Extreme comparisons I know, but you get the drift.

• Don’t invite two feuding ex-lovers, especially to a smaller affair. Likewise, don’t include anyone you know who, God forbid, is a mean drunk. Bigger parties have fewer issues, as everyone can mix and mingle with less chance of ruffling feathers.

• Unless you intend to hire extra help, I wouldn’t advise going much above the 25-30 guest mark at home. You want to be able to enjoy yourself rather than plan a full-scale military exercise.

• Enlist friends and family to help out: most people love to be useful.

• Regardless of the occasion, make sure you invite your guests in a timely fashion. I don’t mean posting official embossed cards months before the event, but three weeks’ notice is good. It gives you time to get organised, too. If you want to have a dress code, make sure your guests know in advance to avoid any embarrassment. Ask about dietary needs or allergies.

• Will people be driving? While your guests’ sobriety is not (entirely) your responsibility, I think it’s a courtesy to make sure there’s a solid nonalcoholic alternative if you know people are coming by car. And do supply phone numbers for local taxi firms.

• Think about whether you need to rent glasses and plates. Have drinks delivered as well, if you can, to save time.

• Ice, ice baby… Make sure there is PLENTY. Have some tubs (or baby bathtubs) at the ready to receive it. Places such as Majestic Wine will rent big tubs – and they deliver.

• Decor – or un-decor: if you’ve invited more than a handful of guests, think about clearing space for food, for drinks, for shimmying and mingling. Put away anything that is fragile or precious… or precarious. And be aware of lit candles when the drinks are flowing.