Tips for Party Givers

Tips for Party Givers

1. When your guests arrive, collect their car keys. That way, when they are ready to leave, they must get a second opinion on whether they’re sober enough to drive home.

2. Always serve food with alcohol. High protein and carbohydrate foods like cheese and meats are especially good. They stay in the stomach much longer, which slows the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol.

3. Have several jiggers or self-measuring one-ounce bottle spouts at the bar to mix drinks. Guests are less likely to drink excessively when standard measures are used.

4. If you serve alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base such as fruit juice. The body absorbs alcohol faster when mixed with carbonation.

5. Serve non-alcoholic beverages. It is possible that some of your guests will not want to drink alcohol.

6. Do not force drinks on your guests or rush to refill their glasses when empty. Some guests may not wish to appear rude and will accept drinks they do not want.

7. Stop serving alcohol about two hours before the party is over. Guests then have time for their bodies to absorb the alcohol consumed. Serve coffee or other non-alcoholic beverages as well as food.

8. If you observe a guest drinking too much:

• engage him/her in conversation to slow down the drinking.
• offer high protein food like pizza, shrimp or spareribs.
• offer to make the next drink, using less alcohol and mixing it with a non-carbonated base.

When the Party’s Over:

If one of your guests has been drinking and shouldn’t drive, please don’t give them back their car keys and let them drive. They could hurt themselves or others and maybe just a little persuasion from you could mean the difference between life and death.

• Suggest that you or a sober friend drive your alcohol impaired friend home. Their car can always be picked up at another time.
• Suggest that your impaired friend stay overnight in your home. This may sound inconvenient, but you could be saving your friend’s, or someone else’s life.
• Have your friend taken home in a taxi. Pay for the ride yourself. It’s hard to object to a free ride.
• Whatever you do, don’t give in. Friends don’t let friends drink and then drive. In the morning, you’ll have a safer and maybe an even closer friend.

REMEMBER:

• One drink = 5 oz. of 12 percent wine OR 12 oz. of 5 percent beer OR 1 1/2 oz. of 80 proof liquor
• Neither coffee nor a cold shower will help sober someone up. Only time can do that.
  

Non-Alcoholic “Mocktails”

Designated Driver’s Delight
2 1/2 oz. orange juice
1 1/4 oz. pineapple juice
1 1/4 oz. cranberry juice
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
3-4 frozen strawberries
Mix in a blender until smooth. Serve in a hurricane glass with an orange slice and a strawberry.

The Enforcer
Fresh brewed coffee
Whipped cream
Chocolate sprinkles
Sugar cubes
Cinnamon
Pour coffee into a mug and stir in 2 sugar cubes and a dash of cinnamon. Top with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Citrus Collins

2 oz. orange or grapefruit juice
1 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup*
Fill a 10-12 oz. glass with ice. Add ingredients above and then fill with club soda. Garnish with 1/2 orange slice and a cherry.
* HINT: Simple Syrup…In a saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Makes about 2 cups. Will keep 6 months in the refrigerator.