Tis the season for entertaining, but between the shopping, wrapping and decorating we are all short on time. If you remember, last year Amos Gott created a beautiful cocktail party for us using only ingredients from Costco. This year, I was inspired to create my own cocktail party, but I wanted to make sure I could take care of every detail in one afternoon. I’m following his lead and am keeping my shopping to two nearby stores, Savi Provisions and Trader Joe’s, where I can purchase everything I’ll need.
PinThe inspiration for this year, Amos Gott’s 2012 Costco Cocktail Party.
I’m going to serve a charcuterie platter, and Savi Provisions will be my first stop for the ingredients. If you have not visited a location of this locally-owned store, you must go soon. They stock all sorts of ready-made salads, pantry staples, cheese and meats, not to mention a huge selection of alcohol. It makes pulling off a quick cocktail party really easy.
PinSavi Provisions opened their Buckhead location last summer. They are also located in Brookhaven and Inman Park and are opening in Vinings soon. Picture via Facebook.
Savi has a great selection of cheeses from all over the world, and even some from Georgia. I like that their knowledgeable staff can offer suggestions so the finished plate includes a variety of both soft and hard cheeses.
PinSelection of cheeses at Savi Provisions
Savi’s equally great selection of cured meats will help me round out this appetizer. They also have baguettes on hand. A quick slice-up of the bread and the addition of some crackers from their pantry section and the platter will be complete.
PinCured meats and baguette at Savi
In the freezer section, Savi also stocks easy pick-up items like these Callie’s Biscuits. All I will have to do is warm them in the oven right before the party starts and place them on a platter.
PinCallie’s Biscuits come in multiple flavors.
And for dessert, Savi has a selection of individual cakes in a few different delicious flavors.
PinDessert Cakes at Savi Provisions.
Right next door, Savi Provisions has a HUGE stock of every imaginable wine, liquor, and beer. The picture below only captures about a third of the space. And while large, everything is neatly organized and the staff is very helpful in picking out whatever you need and carrying it to your car.
PinA small selection of Savi Provisions liquor store. They have a large selection and great prices!
To make the bar set up easy (and to save some money), keeping the drink offerings simple is best—perhaps wine, champagne and one mixed drink. Here are two recipes from the StyleBlueprint archives that are easy to make for a crowd that I’m considering for my party:
Eggnog (known as The RECIPE)
Uncle Tupelo’s Punch
Next stop is Trader Joe’s, the land of cheap and easy options for feeding a crowd. Their dinner rolls and spiral ham are perfect for a casual cocktail gathering.
PinPull-apart dinner rolls and spiral ham. Add a bowl of Trader Joe’s Dijon mustard to your platter and guests can assemble their own sandwiches.
Trader Joe’s frozen aisle has a number of easy pick-up and heat items perfect for a party. Here are a few favorites that will be in my freezer, ready to pop in the oven:
PinBeef Tenderloin Bites (a little horseradish sauce on the side would be great).PinSpanakopitaPinStuffed Mushrooms with spinach and cheese.
And since we can’t forget desserts, here are a few of our favorite Trader Joe’s desserts that we highlighted last year:
PinTrader Joe’s Ginger Snaps with a side of their Lemon Curd for dipping.PinTrader Joe’s Ice Cream Bon Bons.
Even with the house decked to the nines, adding some fresh flowers to the table is always a nice finishing touch, even for a casual party. Since Trader Joe’s has a great selection of inexpensive flowers, I’ll purchase mine here, too.
So, now that my easy list is made and I don’t have to stress about the details, all that’s left is picking a date in the next week or two to host our friends for some holiday cheer. (I’ll keep you posted on how the party turns out!)
Our unofficial motto at StyleBlueprint is "Be kind. Do good." We encourage this to be the basis for all comments on our articles. Provide feedback that adds to the story. Some controversy or disagreements are part of any good dialogue between friends, but anything that tears down or belittles others is subject to disapproval or removal. Thank you for being a member of the StyleBlueprint community! View our Community Guidelines.
