How to Throw a Festive Happy Hour this Fall
As the calendar flipped to October, it was the perfect excuse to entertain our friends with a festive happy hour. Presentation is just as important as taste when it comes to entertaining. For the ultimate fall vibe we show you how to put together a seasonal charcuterie board and smoke bourbon cocktails.
HAPPY HOUR
THE CHARCUTERIE BOARD
During the fall it’s nice to have a selection of cheeses, meats, nuts, and fruit that is in season. Presentation is key, and below we outline the basics of setting up an appetizing charcuterie board for your guests.
Charcuterie Board
The Cheeses
-Smoked Gouda (Trader Joes)
-Fontina (Bel Gioso)
-Brie (Trader Joes)
-White Stilton with Apricots (Trader Joes)
-Boursin
Fruits
Fresh fruit is a healthy accompaniment to your board. Check your local market for seasonal fruits including apples, pears, figs, and red grapes. Dried fruit can also go well alongside the fresh fruit.
Presentation
Displaying the food on a wooden platter fit in with our fall theme. Marshalls and Homegoods carry many shapes and sizes of wooden cutting boards – for a reasonable price!
If you are worried about damaging or staining your board, you can lay down some natural parchment paper or craft paper to protect it.
Note: If using craft paper think about writing on the paper so that your guests understand the selection.
Crackers and Nuts
We opted for a variety of crackers, including butter, wheat, and seasonal crackers (specifically, Trader Joes Fig and Olive Crisps).
We decided to incorporate 1-2 different nuts on the board as well. Pecans, walnuts or candied nuts work well. We made candied pecans using a recipe we found on twopeasandtheirpod.com
You can find the recipe here:
HAPPY HOUR
THE COCKTAIL
We wanted to find a delicious seasonal cocktail to serve our friends and what screams fall more than bourbon? While not everyone is a fan of bourbon, this recipe for a Maple Bourbon Smash on foodandwine.com may just win them over.
You can find the recipe here:
Clear Ice Cubes
A clear square ice cube is perfect for this drink. I used this silicone ice cube tray to make mine and they were the perfect size. Check the tips on how to get clearer ice cubes.
Raw Wood Tray
Since we were going for a rustic fall vibe I found a slab of elongated raw wood at Michael’s. You can leave the slab as is or seal it with a polyurethane to waterproof it.
Smoking the Glass
You don’t need to go to a bar to have a specialty cocktail at home. Smoking whiskey or bourbon is all the rage right now, and we give you step by step instructions below to re-create at home.
Tips for Crystal Clear Ice Cubes
You can make clear ice cubes at home without any fancy equipment. Try these quick tips!
Use distilled water
Boil the distilled water
Carefully fill ice trays with boiled water
Freeze until ready to use
Tools you need
BBQ Wood Chips
We used apple wood chips which you can find at your local supermarket or hardware store.
Torch Lighter
A culinary torch lighter is by far easier and faster at igniting the wood chips than a regular lighter.
Fire-Proof Surface
Make sure you have a safe flat surface to burn your wood chips. We used the cast iron griddle that came with my stove.
THE STEPS
Once your glass is smoked (it takes about 30 seconds), you can add your ingredients. It helps to have all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time, especially if you are making multiple cocktails. We preferred to mix each drink without the seltzer while the glass was smoking, then we topped each drink with the seltzer as our final ingredient.
First let me state that I am not a big fan of bourbon but this drink was delicious. The fresh ingredients diffused the strong bourbon taste and the apple smoke gave just the right hint of smokiness.
My “go-to” drink of choice is a Manhattan, which has more limited ingredients (bourbon, vermouth and bitters). The maple syrup and seltzer in this drink diminish the strength of the bourbon and add a touch of sweetness to this perfect fall cocktail.
One Comment
Laureen Trotto
Great Festive Happy Hour ideas! Can’t wait to try them.