sauce & stilettos: DIY cocktail party!

mojitos are the ultimate summer cocktail. no argument@

yeah.. i know its monday but i'm sure its 5pm SOMEWHERE so let's talk about my fav food.. cocktails (ok well my fav food is really roti but work with me!) in this heat, you are lying to me if you say you don't day dream about an ice cold refreshing cocktail at the end of the day..er.. i mean week.. i'm not an alcoholic.. i swear... but have you SEEN the price of drinks lately? personally, i can't make bar hopping a weekly habit; especially given upcoming summer vacation....but i've found a genius solution.. have your OWN cocktail party at home!. you should probaby invite some friends 'cuz apparently drinking alone is frowned upon. no idea why. so in celebration of happy hour somewhere, i bring you my fav cocktails  and tips to get your DIY cocktail party started just right. see more after jump!

so how do you go abt throwing your own cocktail party? sure, you can call your friends over and say bring beers, but since you're reading this blog i'm going to assume that you're a diva... and that just won't do. it's too normal. so lets class things up a bit! divahhh partayyyyy.

1. Set a theme or dress code. your party just got 10 times better. last year i was chanelling p-diddy (what's he calling himself now?) and i threw a white party. i'd share pics but that macbook committed suicide. anyway. keep it classy or sexy. maybe a 20's speakeasy theme or frocks and cocktails party....your friends know you're a diva, either they play along or just un-invite them! you can always drink alone :) i won't judge you and you'll look fabulous doing it.

2. have everyone pitch in for liquor or bring something to share. work it out yourselves. you guys are all adults! i suppose someone should probably bring beers for guests who aren't cocktail friendly. be sure to have a fairly decent alcohol selection, or at least the basic spirits: wine, rum, whiskey, gin (in case grandpa shows up?) etc. and of course chasers. oh and i suppose a few finger foods. alco makes me hungry.. you? switch out that boring pig in a blanket thing for something more adventurous! think tapas, crab dip, prosciutto. oh god i love prosciutto!

3. invite that friend who bar-tends part-time for lunch a week before. we all have one! have them teach you a few tricks.. of course they're invited to the party but they proll don't want to be mixing drinks all night. when making cocktails for your party try making them pitcher sized. that way you won't be the only one sipping on that awesome mojito! 

4. get that music right. sure. you like that obscure scandanavian artiste but none of your friends know who they are. don't be lazy. there are tons of free downloadable party mixes to turn that party out! do it right!

5. take lots and lots of pictures! everyone has a smartphone and figures themselves an amateur photographer these days.. so your divah partay should be fully documented. besides, everyone looks fabulous 'cus  they obeyed the dress code.. RIGHT?. so no one should be camera shy!

the goal here is to use your imagination and have a great time. summer fun need not put you out of pocket. so get your cocktail on and party like divah! and given that this IS a sauce and stilettos post, here are your cocktail recipies. i've linked videos instead of writingit out so its easoer for you to follow. aren't i nice!
amazing coktail recipes below. my fav is the mojito!!!!

The mojito
For me this is the perfect summer cocktail...maybe its cus im from the caribbean and rum runs in my weins, but an ice cold minty mojito does the trick. a bit of mojito trivia: the original mojito hails from cuba and was made with Bacardi rum! oh and the mojito was one of Hemingway's favourite drink. i think thats reason enough.  you can find bacardi's recipe for an original mojito here but im also partial to the increasingly popular pink grapefruit mojito. go with the rum. i also like this one

Caipirinha (say cai-pee- reen-ya)
Made with brazil's national spirit, cachaca (say ca-sha-sa) this one packs a punch but its an awesome punch. heavy on the lime side, sweet and strong. oh yeah. if you can find cachasa give it a try. my fav bartender uses Sagatiba, reportedly the best brand available. its a perfect beach drink... recipe here!

Sangria
A classic crowd favourite. who doesn't like sangria? don't invite them to your awesome party! heres a pretty simple recipe

Champagne cocktails
Of course you need Champagne! its a fancy party. but skip the non-budget friendly bottles of moet and mix up some champagne cocktails. you can still have moet... just on budget... in a cocktail. Ols school diva Martha Stewart keeps it in the theme of summer with a blood-orange champagne cocktail

Tapas
Chunky bean dip, seafood salad, stuffed mushrooms: the list doesnt end. turn it into a  fancy party! who needs cheetos when you have real cheese! Find great ideas for tapas here.

i could sit here and post cocktails all night but i've got a mojito waiting on me. check ut the links below for more cocktails and hors d'oeuvre recipes. drink responsibly! later divas! XOXO.

more summer cocktails
summer party foods