5 Great Tools for New Year's Eve Party Drinks
Setting up the bar is an important part of getting ready for the holidays. Here, 5 products to make serving drinks easier and leave you with time to enjoy the festivities.
1. Stock up your bar and get creative with the Bar10der ($50, amazon.com), kind of a Swiss Army knife for the mixologist. In one nifty tool you get a muddler, reamer, channel knife (for cutting those pretty little strips of citrus peel), jigger, zester, knife, stirrer, strainer, corkscrew, and bottle opener. Try it out on our Cranberry Juleps.
2. Another multitasker: The Vacu Vin Cocktail Shaker ($20, amazon.com). With measuring lines and a built-in strainer this great gadget gets your cocktail straight from concept to glass with no spills.
Related: Lucky Foods to Eat on New Year's Day
3. Is it strictly wine at your new years fête? Stop worrying about whether or not you have room in the fridge to chill the Chardonnay or even cool down the Pinot. Keep the Ravi Instant Wine Refresher ($40, amazon.com) in your freezer and it'll instantly chill the vino as you pour. All you have to do is attach the unit to the top of the bottle as if you were using a wine stopper.
4. If you have a party guest that enjoys a stiff drink, consider the fun-to-use On the Rock Glass and Ice Ball ($20, amazon.com). The glass comes with a silicone mold that you fill with water and freeze to make a giant ice ball. When popped into the specially shaped On the Rock Glass, you can roll it around in a circular motion to cool down a single-malt scotch or a small-batch bourbon. It outlasts traditional ice cubes so there's less chance of diluting the whiskey.
Related: 5 New Year's Party Ideas
5. If you or your guests prefer non-alcoholic drinks but still want some liquid comfort, there's the Vintage Teaworks ($16-$19, vintageteaworks.com) line of wine-inspired loose leaf teas. They're infused with the flavor profiles of wine varietals. Our favorite combination: Oolong Chardonnay. Others to savor: Green Tea Sauvignon, Black Tea Merlot, Rooibos Noir, Pu-erh Cabernet, and White Tea Riesling.
Stressed out about holiday entertaining? Our party planning tips will make it easy. And be sure to check out our favorite cooking tools of 2012 for more great gadgets to stock your kitchen!
-by Alexander Craig
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