Hello Beauties
Today is my dad’s birthday so I wanted to showcase a festive party idea and what is more festive than Tequila?! My dad taught me the importance of good tequila and how it should be sipped and enjoyed. A Tequila tasting should be a long, luxurious event and it definitely should not be poured from an industrial-sized plastic jug.
Drinks:
A variety of ages and styles will keep eveyone happy
The party will revolve around a bar stocked with various types of tequila. Tequila Source describes the Five Classes of Tequila and it would be a great conversation starter, framed near the bar or written on a large chalkboard wall in the main party space.
Be sure to include a variety of aged tequila to give the guests the opportunity to pick their favorite.
I personally enjoy Patron tequila but have really enjoyed 1800, Cabo Wabo, Don Julio and Sauza. Find a great list of the top tequila brands on Brands of Tequila‘s site.
Decor:
A buffet style table allows guests to eat at their leisure
Muted shades of green and orange against a backdrop of white would be my color palette of choice for this party. Sleek and modern with Cactus and succulent centerpieces can also double as party favors.
Keep things fun and festive with these amazing Pinatas from Confetti Systems. You can order them in various shapes and colors. They come stuffed with confetti but you can always add more treats (like mini bottles of booze, but that’s just me) through the hinged flap.
- A Magical Gold Pinata is Always in Style
Food:
A large array of warm weather snacks would be the perfect pairing to the tequila. A giant bowl of fresh guacamole and salty tortilla chips would be delicious. I also would create a taco station, where people can make steak, chicken or veggie tacos in warm corn tortillas. I always like to have a big green salad at parties for guests that would rather have something a little lighter.
Ceviche is an amazing pairing because the lime juice is a great way to emphasize the flavors of the tequila. Simply Recipes has a large selection of ceviche recipes but this one made my mouth water.
Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare, 3-4 hours to let sit. Always use the freshest fish possible. Make the same day you purchase fresh fish.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets (or other firm-fleshed fish), cut into 1/2 inch pieces, completely deboned
- 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup of chopped fresh seeded tomatoes
- 1 serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- Dash of ground oregano
- Dash of Tabasco or a light pinch of cayenne pepper
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Tortillas or tortilla chips
Method
In a non-reactive casserole dish, either Pyrex or ceramic, place the fish, onion, tomatoes, chili, salt, Tabasco, and oregano. Cover with lime and lemon juice. Let sit covered in the refrigerator for an hour, then stir, making sure more of the fish gets exposed to the acidic lime and lemon juices. Let sit for several hours, giving time for the flavors to blend.
During the marinating process the fish will change from pinkish grey and translucent, to whiter in color and opaque.
Serve with chopped cilantro and slices of avocado with heated tortillas for ceviche tacos or with tortilla chips.
Serves 4-8.
Remember you can turn this bithday party into any type of event. This would be a great house warming party, retirement party, bachelor or bachelorette party. Take the inspiration and alter it to fit almost any occasion.
What elements would you include at your tasting party?
