Hosting a Party: Ideas, Recipes, Drinks and More

CocktailDB is an authoritative yet playful liquor encyclopedia. Find a recipe database with advanced search features, and helpful advice on barware and exotic ingredients. Use the “Mixilator” to find drink recipes that suit your tastes. Be advised that the site often recommends cocktails containing international ingredients that can be difficult to find.

Cocktail Times indexes lots of popular drinks, with special features for holidays and seasonal events. Search by type of liquor using the tabs at the top of the page, or just scan the many lists on the homepage, complete with colorful photos that will make your mouth water.

BarTV takes a modern look at cocktail mixology. The site specializes in hip versions of cocktail classics. Go to “Modern Spins” for some trendy updates of old favorites, or visit “Low Calorie Cocktails” for innovative drinks on the lighter side. The site also covers the traditional basics, and has great videos and discussions. 

E & J Gallo Winery has a straightforward chart to help you pair wine with food. Select from a number of entrée options and seasonings, and the guide highlights which wines are typically paired with the dish you plan to make. Three options appear, ranging from “Good” to “Better” to “Best.”

WineAnswers.com has a “Wine 101” with an easy-to-search option called “Wine + Food Pairing.” Simply select the kind of wine you’d like to serve, along with the food and flavoring with which you intend to cook. Take a look at the extensive “Wine, Food & Life Article Archive,” and don’t miss the site’s recipe collection.

The Brewers Association presents an article called “Pairing Beer with Food.” You’ll find a lot about the nutritional aspect of beer and how beer complements a well-rounded and healthful meal. Look for beer and food pairings arranged by topic: soups, salads, meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, egg dishes and dessert are all covered. Download the “Beer & Food Matching Chart,” or visit “Serving Up the Perfect Beer Experience” for hosting and serving tips. 

Beer Travelers offers “Beer first, food second,” a prize-winning article originally published in Brew Your Own magazine. Learn what beers go best with what dishes. Skip the long preface that outlines the importance of appropriate beer and food pairings, if you like. But don’t miss the list of beers with their recommended complementary foods, plus a few recipes; scroll down to find them.

Wine.com first asks you what state you’re in, and then tailors your shopping experience and options to your area. This authoritative and classy site uses its own sommeliers, includes detailed wine tags and even ships gourmet foods along with their impressive wine offerings.

Mission Liquors sells several brands of many kinds of liquor. You can also order wine, beer and sake from this site.

Flora’s Drink Hideout has a long list of nonalcoholic drink recipes. Some are direct substitutes for alcoholic beverages (like the “Champagne,” which is made with white grape juice and club soda), while others are inventive variations on punch.

DrinksMixer offers more than 700 nonalcoholic drink options, arranged by such categories as “creamy/milky” and “tropical/fruity.”