|
 S.M. King examines alternatives to sparkling wine for those special occasions.
Back in the day, Friday night saw the King family descend on a long-ago Chinese restaurant in Eltham. Aunts, uncles, and sundry cousins commandeered large round tables, always in the same corner in the blaze of the same flock wallpaper.
I always ordered ‘short soup’, a 70s favourite rarely referenced on today’s menus. And dad always BYO’d an equally unfashionable six pack of Crown Lager.
Papa King never drank from this posh bottle at home; but Friday nights were special, warranting more than a tinny of Carlton.
We break out the stuff we love best to mark an occasion. Of course, convention gives us sparkling wines for the big rituals. But to commemorate the far less formal joy of uniting as friends or family, we do reach for something remarkable.
Local boutique and micro brewers turn out the good gear as a matter of rote. Little Creature’s Pilsner is a great backyard BBQ choice. This crisp and clean lager matches well with the hideously charred mistakes of any barbie. Also from this stable is Rogers’ Beer. A full malt taste and dark complexion belie low alcohol content, making it a sensible choice if you’re out in the sun or trying to impress someone.
Other extraordinary beers include Boag’s St. George and the tasty seasonal releases from fellow Taswegian, Cascade.
As for celebratory table wine: this is always a private matter. I’d not even think about telling you how to swap from your Vin Ordinaire. However, a pinot noir might work wonders. It takes a patient vintner to turn this special, fragile grape into a wine; hence the slightly higher cost. It’s always nice, of course, to think someone has suffered for your pleasure.
A chillable, acidic pinot works well in our warm festive months, and tends to satisfy both fans of red and white. My mate is currently celebrating something with the Swan Bay pinot noir from Scotchman’s Hill. It usually goes for around seventeen bucks.
A punch, sangria or an occasional cocktail just screams festivity.
A little planning is needed to pull such things off well (as the monk said to the bishop). Unless you’re a Martha Stewart type who has spent three months hand-embroidering invitations to your bash, you’re unlikely to have a punch set at the idle ready. Any large bowl will do, but a proper punch set with ladle and glasses can be easily hired. It’s an inexpensive way of adding prestige to your event and liquid creation.
Punch is about creativity and balance. Sample too much while you’re making it and you might just lose both.
Don’t make it too strong; 500ml of spirits to four litres of other fluid ingredients makes a pleasant tipple.
A punch is always bettered by effervescence. Ensure that a litre of the mix is fizz. Mix soda with cranberry juice, vodka, and fresh berries. Pineapple soft drink adds an Aloha thrust to rum or Malibu mixed with coconut cream.
Providing festive grog for your pals is simply an extension of hospitality and an easy way to mark an occasion. In short, take time, effort and love. You simply shan’t go wrong.
 |
Lifestyle 
Subscribe to this comment's feed