Five Key Elements for a Fabulous Party

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Plus, a we heart this signature cocktail with BACARDI® Mixers: the Kumquat Kick Back!

It’s no secret, we love to throw a fabulous party, and we take it pretty seriously (see exhibit A and exhibit B.) If we hear at least one person say “Wow, you went all out!” at some point in the evening, we know we did our job.

Our BACARDI® Mixers signature cocktail

So, when we were selected to throw a party to celebrate BACARDI® Mixers and their 99 Days & 99 Drinks campaign, we knew we were up for the challenge. The fact that they were going to develop a signature cocktail for us only sealed the deal.

Although parties like these may look hard to pull off, they’re really not. With just five key elements (and a few time-saving tips) you too can have a shindig that will look like it was WAY more difficult to plan than it really was.

1. Pick a theme. A theme can help create a cohesive party and give direction for every necessary planning step. It can be as simple as a color; with flowers, table linens and even food selections made accordingly. Or, as elaborate as a concept; like old school Hollywood with guests dressed in their most debonair attire, classic black and white movies in the background and a soundtrack of Frank Sinatra songs on top. Because our signature drink included the BACARDI® Mixers Margarita Mix, we went with a Summer Fiesta as our theme.

2. Pour a signature cocktail. This is a sneaky little step. It instantly elevates any party to “fancy” status, but secretly makes things much easier to not have to stock up on every type of ingredient under the sun. Plus, it’s guaranteed to be one of the items your guests will talk about the most. BACARDI® Mixers had that covered for our fiesta. And deliciously covered, at that!

I filled out a questionnaire about my cocktail and party preferences, and they came up with a drink “in honor of (my) laid-back attitude and love for sophisticated flavors…”

Kumquat Kick Back (serves four)

Ingredients:
1/2 can frozen BACARDI® Mixers Margarita Mix (thawed)
1/2 cup BACARDI® Superior Rum
6 kumquats
4 mint leaves
1 cup sparkling wine
6 kumquats halved for garnish
4 cocktail picks

Directions:
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine BACARDI® Mixers Margarita Mix, kumquats, and mint.

2. Muddle to combine and add BACARDI® Superior and ice, and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.

3. Strain into 4 champagne flutes and top with sparkling wine. (We went with high ball glasses instead.)

4. Garnish with 3 halved kumquats skewered onto a cocktail pick.

Our guests approved!

I am so proud of this tart and tasty cocktail. BACARDI® Mixers couldn’t be easier either. You can use them either blended with ice or thawed for an infinite number of flavor possibilities (way beyond just their namesake Margarita, Strawberry Daiquiri and Piña Colada.) Most Mixers are even made with real fruit juice, with a fresh taste to match.

(Like them on Facebook to see a new cocktail daily and share your own ideas – they may just transform them into a personalized cocktail recipe like they did for us.)

Coca-Cola® on ice for the designated drivers

Colorful menu ingredients

The beginnings of red cabbage cole slaw

Yours truly in my trusty onion goggles

3. Plan your menu. I have a tendency to go overboard when it comes to food, but I recommend you don’t. You don’t need countless food options. Three or four recipes that fit your theme, in quantities large enough so no one is hungry, is perfect. Don’t be afraid to ask guests to bring a dish with them. If you’re fussy and want it to fit the theme (I am and I did), work out in advance what they should bring.

For the fiesta main dish, we grilled carne asada from our local carniceria for tacos. For sides, I made my go-to guacamole, a red cabbage cole slaw and fiesta beans (refried and pinto beans mixed, then baked with scallions and cheese). And a couple of my lovely guests brought the two dishes that starred alongside the tacos; elote (a creamy grilled corn dish) and Mexican hot cocoa cupcakes.

My sassy guest chefs

4. Décor to dazzle. Festive decorations are the kind of special touches that really bring a party together. You can keep it simple or you DIY types can really go to town. Best of all, you don’t have to spend a lot to do something really fabulous. I brightened the house with sunflowers and gladiolus ($6), strung Mexican cut paper banners over our picnic table ($9) and made tissue flower disco balls ($4 each) for an easy and colorful look. I added a few pieces from my collection of vintage Mexican tablecloths and was all set.

5. A game and a prize. I don’t care how old you are; it’s fun to play games (especially once you’ve had a few signature cocktails!) And if the winner gets a prize, even better. Again, it doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, a silly gift is even better. I was extremely lucky in that BACARDI® Mixers provided muddlers, visors, coupons and recipe booklets for my guests, so I was able to do gift bags for everyone. I found a funny coffee mug to enhance the winner’s bag, and we played a few very fun rounds of Mexican Bingo.

Mexican Bingo

See how happy people are when they win?

That’s it – 5 key elements for a party that will be the talk of the ciudad. For your next fiesta, pop by the frozen juice aisle and let BACARDI® Mixers bring together your get together, just like it did ours! we heartsters, care for a Kumquat Kick Back?

BACARDI® Mixers is a premium line of non-alcoholic mixers available in 10 fl. oz cans in the frozen juice aisle. With seven easy-to-make flavors to choose from – including Strawberry Daiquiri, Margarita, and Piña Colada – there are endless ways to make your next party come together instantly! By providing cocktail recipes, party tips and food pairings year-round, we continue to give new reasons to blend every day. Find yours at facebook.com/bacardimixers.

Enjoy responsibly. ©2013 The Coca-Cola Company
©2013 BACARDI and the bat device are registered trademarks of BACARDI & Company Limited. BACARDI U.S.A., inc., Coral Gables, FL Non-alcoholic mixers.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by BACARDI® Mixers via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of BACARDI® Mixers.