Tasting Notes 04. Hosting

Tasting Notes 04. Hosting
Be the host with the most this year…

With exactly one month (wow) til Christmas our calendars are filling up with festive plans: Christmas parties, drinks with neighbours and dinners with friends. If December has crept up on you and you’re in need of some inspiration before guests descend on your house, we’re here with our REAL guide to festive hosting. Let’s get started!

11:00am - Everyone needs a plan

Take an hour to flick through your favourite cookbooks, the ones you know always deliver when you’re cooking for guests or those that have some killer canape recipes that are bound to impress. Mob’s delicious pesto sausage rolls are one of our go-to’s. Jot down your shopping list and head out the door!

12:00am - Let’s get REAL

Head to your local farm shop or supermarket, grab your ingredients and pick up a bottle or two of REAL while you’re there. One of our favourites is Peterley Manor Farm, just down the road from us in Buckinghamshire, for their delectable seasonal produce!

1:00pm - Time to chill

A relaxed host is a good host, so before you start prepping, make yourself a cup of tea or coffee and put your feet up. Your bottles deserve the same treatment, pop them in the fridge so they’re deliciously chilled by the time your guests arrive.

1:30pm - Hit the kitchen

Pop on your favourite tunes and start the prep. Whether that’s some serious mise en place, preparing your meal kit from The Dishpatch, or just getting giant hunks of cheese out of the fridge so that they can come to temperature, we’re not here to judge!


2:45pm - A drink for the Chef

Enjoying a glass of something while you prepare for guests is a great way to get in the festive mood. Saying that, you also don’t want to be tipsy by the time your guests arrive, so pop a bottle of REAL, pour yourself a glass and stick the rest in the fridge for later. Our REAL bottle stoppers are perfect for keeping the fizz fresh!

5:30pm - Get ready for your guests

Set the table for dinner or push the chairs to the side of the room to make space for dancing. Light the candles, turn up the music and top up the snacks. We’re big fans of Glassette for unusual, covetable tableware that your guests will admire.

6:30pm - Ice Ice Baby

With guests arriving in half an hour, get your bottles of REAL out of the fridge and stick them into a mountain of ice. A stylish ice bucket with an attractive bottle makes a great easy centrepiece, win-win!

7:00pm - Seasons Greetings

As your guests begin to arrive, greet them with a glass of Royal Flush to get the party started. Turn up the music and enjoy the fruits of your labour. We currently have The Modern House’s Christmas Party Playlist on repeat!

LATE - The end of the night

After a great time catching up with friends, the only thing to do is stack the dishwasher and turn it on (it’s now tomorrow’s problem) and gather all your empty bottles for the recycling bin. Fall into bed and get ready to do the same again next weekend.
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