The Cocktail Hour

Women Weren't Really Liberated until the coming of that grand national free-for-all, the cocktail hour.

Before Prohibition, bars had been one-sex affairs. A woman might sneak into the side door of a saloon to have her pitcher filled with larger and then go home to drink it alone. More respectable matrons would be escorted by gents into the Ladies' Café for an occasional ginger beer or port flip. During Prohibition any girl who drank was, of course, a dangerous piece of sweetmeat. You were extremely careful when you brought her home.

With repeal, however, women ripped loose like corks bursting in a champagne cellar. Crusty bartenders stood aghast as women, alone or with men, boldly walked into bars, grabbed the pretzels and demanded extra dry Martinis. From busy offices, girls came home not to toll the knell of the parting day but to reach for the ice bucket instead. Hotels hastily set up restricted men's bars in defense against that new female encroachment, the cocktail lounge. At the newly opened ladies' sections of men's clubs, a fresh breed of nymphs hovered over their drinks busily telling the bartender just how much honey to use in a Bee's Knee and how much curacao went into a Flying Dutchman.

While recognizing this as simply another tentacle of that insidiously growing octopus, the Matriarchy, the urbane man is inclined to regard said tentacle with affection, for it has unwittingly played right into his hands by forging a new–and very welcome–type of girl.

This is the girl who's been to a few lively cocktail parties in addition to the usual Ladies' Literary Circle affairs. And, generally, the kind of cocktail parties she attends take place in somebody's one room apartment. Also, she is the type of bachelor girl who doesn't hesitate to invite a dozen friends to her own studio and, with perfect poise, serve anything from Bloody Marys to V.O. on the rocks.

A girl who gives, and is given, cocktail parties knows that the prime purpose of such events is not to pay off social obligations in a mechanical way but to stimulate as much active circulation as possible between the sexes. With the very first round of drinks she glimpses strange but incredibly potent vibrations passing between the girl with the thick black bangs and the unmarried math prof. Fraternity brothers and sorority sisters slide their hands into the bowl of salted peanuts at the same time. While one end of the stuffed celery is held by the slim divorcée's teeth, the other end is clutched in the mouth of an insurance broker. Even the backwoodsman from the Agricultural School can be seen passionately spreading anchovy paste on toast for the auburn-haired chick in the low-cut dress.

As more people arrive and the party sails into high gear, the room gradually becomes as crowded as the hold of a slave ship–but a great deal jollier. A crowded cocktail party is wonderful for several reasons. The sheer number of people automatically prevents the appearance of that classic bore, the Life of the Party. And the sheer noise of people talking at the tops of their voices inhibits that other well-known species of malignant fauna, the Brilliant Conversationalist.

The accidental nuzzling may not lead immediately to a full-fledged petting session, but enough prospecting takes place for infinitely varied future activity.

The cocktail girl isn't a stereotype. You may give her six or eight Stingers, thinking that each one will make her progressively more submissive, only to discover that the young lass has an almost unlimited tolerance for alcohol while your own knees are buckling and your desire is ebbing. You may hopefully pick up the breezy looking young newspaperwoman who chain smokes all day long only to discover that the cloudy drink she is holding is not absinthe but merely lemonade and that she has been on the water wagon for the past ten years.

Sheer pedantry compels us to call attention to the women of the Mohave Indians, as described by Dr. George Devereux in the Journal of Alcohol Studies. One of the inflexible Mohave customs decrees that "a woman who accepts several drinks from a man thereby implicitly indicates her consent to the probable sexual consequences of the action." But then the Mohaves are a primitive people. In our advanced, more genteel society, such implications must not be read into a lady's innocent acceptance of alcohol. By no means. Absolutely not. Of course, you may have different ideas on the subject: after all, it's your cocktail party. And Playboy, believing that cocktail parties are here to stay as long as there is a sardine or an ounce of gin left in the world, herewith offers a few tips on converting your cocktail party from a mere occasion to an event.

In making preparations for such an event, be sure the fire insurance on your household effects has not lapsed. If one of the invited guests inadvertently places his lighted cigar against your rare Belgian tapestry, it is important to secure proper indemnification. Be sure that all objects with a high center of gravity (such as bridge lamps, occasional tables, urns, umbrella stands or hat racks) are not within reaching or hurling distance of your guests. It is imperative that light fixtures be of the type that are securely fastened close to the ceiling rather than the low hanging trapeze variety.

Place glass tops or marble tops on all tables which are not alcohol proof. If there is a large picture window in your quarters, it is prudent to build a high scaffolding alongside it. Finally, be sure that you have access to a good mop, mop bucket, towels, shovel and other first aid equipment.

If you want to have as little to do with your guests as possible, act as your own bartender. The mechanics of taking orders, remembering orders, mixing drinks, opening bottles, draining cherries, squeezing lemons and other chores will keep you so occupied you'll barely have time to greet your guests, let alone converse with them. However, if you want to converse with them (and some hosts do), it's a good idea to ask one or two friends to be the custodians and dispensers of liquor. Or, if you don't mind the expense, hire a bartender or a combined bartender, waiter and butler. Any good restaurant waiter knows how to mix simple drinks. Sometimes you can hire one from a restaurateur if you are friendly with him.

If you're having a large cocktail party for a single occasion, you can get your glassware, tables, chairs, etc., by either borrowing them or renting them from a regular catering service. If you give cocktail parties frequently, you should naturally own the necessary equipment for this greatest of twilight sports.

When the cocktail party is a small informal affair in which four or six friends get together for a few slugs of whiskey before dinner, no major alterations are necessary in your furniture or fixtures. But if a full battalion is arriving, you must consider the grave matter of chairs. For a crowded come-and-go cocktail party, the best plan is to remove all chairs from the room. A no chair party discourages stragglers and unwanted overnight campers. Your cocktail party will then be that rare kind of hour which is confined to sixty minutes. If, however, you are expecting the pretzel-benders to stay several hours, you should provide straight back chairs lined up, against the wall with an occasional table between chairs for ash trays and empty glasses. Don't place any chairs or tables so that they interfere with the wide traffic aisle between the walls.

The most important equipment at any cocktail party is the glassware. Drinking a Martini out of a thin piece of crystal and drinking one out of a thick pressed glass makes the same mixture seem like completely different potions. You needn't buy the most expensive Steuben or Tiffany glassware for a barrelhouse party. Simply be sure that whatever glasses you select are of one type and uniform size. Ordinary clear white glasses, even the popular no-nick variety, are satisfactory, provided they are all the same size and style. Be sure the glasses are sparkling clean. On the buffet table the glasses should be arranged in mass formation upon a clean snowy white linen tablecloth.

The vogue of cute personalized glasses is thankfully on its way out. Glassware with such hilarious mots as "Down The Rat Trap" or "Here's Mud In Your Eye" have lost their alleged charm and are gradually finding their way into the ash can.

Before arranging a cocktail party, check the following basic pieces of bar equipment: ice bucket, ice crusher or shaver, ice tongs, long spoons for stirring, whiskey glasses or measuring glasses with at least 1-1/2 ounce capacity, metal bar jigger, corkscrew (the self-opening heavy duty style), paring knife, fruit juice squeezer, lime squeezer, ice pick, glass or metal cocktail shakers, Martini pitcher, cocktail strainers (the perforated, not the wire variety), bottle openers, towels and highball stirrers.

Use flat coasters if necessary to protect your furniture, but more sensible are the basketweave jackets of the proper size to fit your highball or old fashioned glasses.

One of the best places for purchasing such equipment is a restaurant or bar supply house. The equipment in such places will not be elaborate but it will be solid, heavy duty material preferred by all professional bartenders.

The most popular mixers used in highballs include plain water, sparkling (carbonated) water, and some variety of a sweeter elixir like ginger ale or Seven-Up. Fussy drinkers will demand a bottled water rather than the tap product, especially in those cities where chlorine is used heavily. Bottled carbonated water is usually satisfactory even to the most discriminating drinkers.

On your shopping list for the cocktail party, check the following nonalcoholic bar materials: maraschino stem cherries, Martini olives, cocktail onions, bitters, sugar (buy the superfine powdered sugar, not the confectioners' nor the granulated sugar), lemons, oranges and limes. If any great quantity of fruit juice is needed, you may use the frozen concentrated juice, although it can never equal the quality of freshly squeezed juices.

As for food, there is only one guiding principle. Millions of toasties, tidbits, hot hors d'oeuvres, cold hors d'oeuvres, cocktail snacks and canapes are sold commercially prepared. You simply ask yourself – are they decidedly salty, peppery or piquant? If they are, they spur the taste apparatus and the thirst apparatus. If they aren't, they appease and dampen the appetite. For instance, salty anchovy filets quicken the taste buds. A paste made of canned salmon, on the other hand, deadens the appetite. Genuine razor back Smithfield ham, cured with pepper, sets the juices flowing. Ordinary boiled ham keeps the juices passive.

If you plan to serve canapes or hors d'oeuvres beforehand, either hot or cold, and you want them to be as showy as possible, you should buy them already prepared. In large cities especially, there are many caterers, restaurants or even delicatessens that will supply them by the dozen or by the hundred. Be sure to place the prepared canapes on a large platter or tray lined with a large lace paper doily.

If you want to provide your own cocktail spreads, these can be bought in any fancy grocery store. Again, remember to avoid such bland concoctions as peanut butter, tongue puree or cream cheese and pineapple spread. Do by all means use such items as Roquefort cheese spread, anchovy paste, smoked salmon paste, etc. Remember that such spreads should be ice cold and should be served on the lightest and crispest crackers or cocktail wafers available. If you are using crackers, they must be opened fresh no more than an hour before the party begins. (concluded on page 58) Cocktail Hour (continued from page 24)

A sensible custom is to place on the buffet table two or three containers or platters of really distinguished gourmet foods such as Stilton cheese, pâté de foie gras, fresh Beluga caviar, Westphalian ham, smoked turkey and other high-stepping dishes that do not normally appear on the boarding house table. Guests scoop out the cheese or pâté and spread it on crackers with a minimum of fuss and feathers.

Playboy does not wish to join the snobocracy who turn up their noses at such old fashioned teasers as potato chips, peanuts and popcorn. But if you're throwing a party, why not put on a proud belly for your special occasion? Instead of peanuts, serve large fresh salted almonds; instead of potato chips, serve the light feathery shrimp chips; instead of ordinary popcorn taken from a bag, make your own warm fresh popcorn and douse it generously with fresh butter and swirls of salt.

For large parties, the alcoholic mixtures may be combined – not shaken – beforehand. They are then stored in liquor bottles in your refrigerator until needed. When making Martinis, for instance, it's a timesaver to combine the gin and vermouth in whatever proportions you prefer. Then when you are ready to serve the Martinis, pour the mixture into tall pitchers with ice, stir it and serve. If possible, chill the cocktail glasses in the refrigerator or fill them with crushed ice for a minute or so and then discard the ice just before pouring the cocktails into the glasses.

The classic Martini cocktail consists of gin and dry vermouth. If you're putting on the dog, use imported gin, otherwise a good brand of domestic gin. While the orthodox Martinis served at bars consist of two or three parts of gin to one of vermouth, these proportions may be changed to four, five or even ten parts of gin to one of vermouth, depending upon the degree of dryness which you prefer. In the bottom of each glass there should be a pitted green olive. After the cold Martinis have been poured into the glasses, a piece of lemon peel should be twisted over the top of each drink, allowing the spray of lemon oil to float over the top. The peel may be discarded or dropped into the glass.

24 Martinis

1 quart bottle of gin

1 pint of dry French vermouth

24 cocktail olives

24 small pieces of lemon peel

These proportions, admittedly, will make a fairly "wet," or Christian, Martini. For a dryer, more pagan, drink, simply cut down the quantity of vermouth to suit your own taste. Some brave souls prefer the lethal "in-and-out" Martini: meaning that the only vermouth in it is what's left after a dash of the stuff has been swished around in the glass and then dumped down the drain. As the Romans said, De gustibus non est disputandum (free translation: "It's your funeral").

Place the gin and vermouth in several large Martini pitchers or cocktail shakers. Fill the pitchers with cracked ice. Stir (never shake) with a long bar spoon for at least 1-1/2 minutes. Glasses should be lined up with an olive in each glass. Pour the Martinis into the cocktail glasses, taking care to strain the ice carefully. Twist a piece of lemon peel over each cocktail. Serve immediately.

For sweeter tongues and rye addicts, serve Manhattans. Strangely, most people do not prefer the most expensive grade of bonded whiskey for Manhattans. Popular taste runs more to the better blends of rye free from any woody or smokey flavor. Manhattans may be made with all Italian vermouth – the sweet type – or half dry and half sweet vermouth.

24 Manhattans

1 quart bottle of rye

1 pint Italian (sweet) vermouth

24 maraschino stem cherries

2 teaspoons bitter

Place the rye, vermouth and bitters in a large pitcher or in several large cocktail shakers filled with cracked ice. Stir for at least 1-1/2 minutes. Put a cherry in each glass. Pour Manhattans, straining carefully, into glasses.

24 Daiquiris

Use dry light rum rather than golden rum. Unlike the Manhattan or Martini, the Daiquiri should be shaken vigorously in a cocktail shaker until it foams and is stinging cold.

1 quart light rum

Juice of 12 large limes

1/2 cup of sugar

Place ingredients in cocktail shakers filled with ice. Shake like a dervish (do not merely rock) until the cocktail shaker is so cold you cannot hold it. Taste the Daiquiris before pouring into chilled glasses. You may want to add more juice or more sugar. Pour into chilled glasses.

24 Old Fashioned Cocktails

1 quart rye

Bitters

24 pieces of lemon peel

Sugar

Ice cubes or coarsely cracked ice

Carbonated water

In the bottom of each Old Fashioned glass put a dash of bitters and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add a small squirt of carbonated water and stir until sugar dissolves. Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to each glass. Add a 1-1/2 ounce jigger of whiskey. Twist a piece of lemon peel over each glass. Stir each drink. An additional squirt of water may be added before stirring if desired.

playboy's food & drink editor