Serving Drinks

Too many times I go to a party where the beer is thrown into coolers for guests to serve themselves. Now, that's a simple way to do it. (And I am a firm believer in self-serve solutions!) But not real beautiful. There are easy ways to dress things up a bit and use unique containers to keep drinks icy cold and easily accessible.

For our party last week, we used a couple of flea market finds. (Always remember that beautiful doesn't mean fancy.) Beer was in a old-fashioned double metal wash tub on a stand. Soft drinks and bottled water were underneath in another metal tub. The stand was a nice touch...meant you didn't have to bend over to get a drink. And the soft drinks placed lower on the deck surface were easily reached by the kids.

We opened the red wine and set it on the kitchen counter right next to the wineglasses. The white wine was uncorked and put right in the sink. Lined with a towel and filled with ice, it made a perfect cooler.

Of course, there are other options you can try. Any kind of waterproof container can be used. Get creative and come up with something that fits in with your home or party decor. A big stock pot as a wine chiller. Line a large clay pot or an inexpensive trunk with plastic. And there are all kind of metal buckets, boxes and containers ready for a second life as your beverage buffet. Be on the lookout at discount stores and garage sales. You'll find something that is perfect your home and will provide a creative twist on the plain old plastic cooler.