Snacks for Your Home Bar

Your bar cart is stocked with Boston shakers, martini glasses and ice buckets, ready for a night to remember. Offering hors d’oeuvres will keep your guests content and enjoying themselves while sipping their favorite cocktail.

Whether preparing a sumptuous holiday meal or hanging out before the big game, appetizers are a necessity.

Vodka Pairings

Caviar on Blini
Heap plenty of caviar and crème fraîche on the traditional pancake-like blini; the sharp taste of your vodka will pair well with the texture of caviar, with the flavors mingling in a delicious combination. Wine with caviar is a staple for any luxurious home bar.

Smoked Salmon
Using black bread or dark rye bread, layer on bright salmon with dashes of dill for refreshing sandwiches that enhance your vodka-based drink. For an additional kick, add horseradish.

Pirozhki
Soft stuffed buns with a beef and vegetable filling, such as mushrooms, these hearty Russian favorites are comfort food during the autumn and winter. Serve them with a side of warm potatoes for a rich evening meal.

Soft Cheese
Serve crumbling cheese such as soft goat, blue cheese, or beautifully braided chechil with your favorite crackers.

Traditional Onion shot
Halve a red onion, deeply inhale its aroma, then take a shot of vodka. For an adventurous finish, take a bite of the raw onion, which balances the intensity of straight vodka.

Whisky Pairings

Sashimi / Sushi
Aged highland or Islay whisky will melt in your mouth with the crisp sweetness of fresh salmon used in raw sashimi or rice rolled slices of sushi that make excellent appetizers. Be careful of the wasabi, to avoid it overwhelming your whisky.

Smoked Meats
For peat heavy scotches, any smoked meat, from wild game to a honey glazed ham will bring out its signature flavor. Enhance the taste by preparing your glass inside a smoke box with gun that is all the rage with mixologists.

Dessert Pies
Lightly spiced holiday pies such as pumpkin, apple, mince or pecan pair well with medium bodied whisky. Instead of pouring saccharine sweet dessert wine, offer a dash of single malt instead.

Creamy Cheese
For bourbon, prepare a cheese plate with blue cheese and softer goat cheeses. Don’t skimp on roasted nuts and quince jelly, including crackers and honey for preparing bite-sized appetizers.

Steak Fajitas
For Irish whisky, this traditional marinated dish is rich in flavor and a filling option for the bar without offering a plated meal.

Gin Pairings

Seafood
This light drink, especially the popular “Gin & Tonic” mixture pairs best with seafood dishes. Crab cakes, prawns, shrimp, mussels, clams, or fish and chips are ideal. Any combination of shellfish in white sauces or citrus will accompany your gin quite well.

Cucumber Salad
Crunchy and colorful, this refreshing appetizer accentuates the bright finish of gin. Garnish it with strong, hard cheese such as cheddar or stilton for a powerful combination.

Lamb Skewers / Sliders
The distinctive taste of lamb is accentuated with this pairing, which can be offered as bar favorite patties mixed with garlic and cumin for fun sliders or tossed on the grill and mixed with mint flavored feta.

Tequila Pairings

Roasted Orange Chicken
The acidity of citrus is a natural friend to tequila. Leverage that relationship with a savory option of miniature pieces of roasted chicken bites that your friends will adore.

Tacos
This classic is popular with good reason. Combining the kick of lime and fresh salsa with grilled prawns or carne asada, it is easy to hold without using flatware. You cannot go wrong offering miniature tacos at your home bar.

Pulled Pork
Mix this tangy treat with roasted corn and melted cheese into a slider. It may be messy, but your guests will love the result when served with tequila-based drinks.

Chocolate Dessert
Why wait until after dinner? Offer an oozing lava cake that explodes with warm flavor, or espresso infused chocolates for an unforgettable pairing. Look for dark chocolate, perhaps with a spice to it, for a sweet flavored snack.