Barefoot Contessa (2002–…): Season 14, Episode 11 - Perfect Cocktail Party - full transcript

I'M THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA.

SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME
HOW TO GIVE A COCKTAIL PARTY

THIS IS BACK TO BASICS

ON THE PERFECT AND EASIEST
COCKTAIL PARTY.

HORS D'OEUVRES FIRST,
TWO THAT I MAKE,

ELEGANT TURKEY TEA SANDWICHES,

AND DELICIOUS
PARMESAN THYME CRACKERS.

TWO THAT I ASSEMBLE,

ENDIVE WITH CREAMY
GORGONZOLA

AND BLINIS WITH CREME FRAICHE
AND SMOKED SALMON.

AND TWO
THAT ARE FANTASTIC SHORTCUTS,



SHRIMP WITH RUSSIAN DRESSING

AND SPICY SALAMI
WITH COOL CUCUMBER.

THEN ON TO DRINKS --
HOW I SET UP A COCKTAIL BAR,

AND A GREAT, NEW COCKTAIL IDEA
FROM MY FRIEND GLENN AT RED BAR.

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS
IN THE HAMPTONS.

DON'T TELL INA
I'M MIXING AN INA-TINI.

AND WHETHER
IT'S A COCKTAIL PARTY
FOR THE HOLIDAYS OR FOR ANYTIME,

I'M READY TO ANSWER
ALL YOUR COCKTAIL QUESTIONS
IN "ASK INA."

SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH

ASKING FOR HELP
WITH COCKTAIL PARTIES.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF
THE QUESTIONS I'VE BEEN GETTING.

HI INA.
HI.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE
A SELECTION OF HORS D'OEUVRES
THAT SUITS A VARIETY OF TASTES?

SO JULIA WANTS TO KNOW
WHAT TO SERVE,



BUT ALSO HOW MANY OF
EACH THING TO SERVE.

IT'S SOMETHING
EVERYBODY WANTS ADVICE ON.

I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY,

EVERYBODY SEEMS TO WANT
EASY IDEAS.

PEOPLE WANT TO
TURN UP THE VOLUME.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING

THAT WILL MAKE
OUR GUESTS SAY "WOW"
AT OUR NEXT COCKTAIL PARTY?

CHEERS.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO DO
A STRESS FREE AND FUN-FILLED
COCKTAIL PARTY.

LET'S GET STARTED.

WELL YOU CAN'T HAVE
A COCKTAIL PARTY
WITHOUT THE FOOD

AND THIS IS MY FORMULA
FOR AN EASY COCKTAIL PARTY.

I SERVE SIX HORS D'OEUVRES,
BUT I ONLY MAKE TWO OF THEM

AND THIS IS THE FIRST ONE.

IT'S TURKEY TEA SANDWICHES.

THE FIRST THING I'M DOING
IS TAKING A RAISIN AND NUT BREAD

AND SLICING IT PRETTY THIN.

I'M GONNA GET MAYBE
ABOUT 20 SLICES OUT OF IT.

NEXT THING'S CREAM CHEESE,
I NEED 12 OUNCES OF
CREAM CHEESE.

IF YOUR CREAM CHEESE
ISN'T ROOM TEMPERATURE

IT'S GOING TO BE
VERY HARD TO SPREAD

AND THE SANDWICHES
WON'T STICK TOGETHER,
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU DON'T WANT
A MESS ON THE PLATE,

YOU WANT BEAUTIFUL
TEA SANDWICHES.

OKAY, THAT'S 12 OUNCES OF
CREAM CHEESE.

JUST GIVE IT
A LITTLE BIT OF A STIR.

I NEED 1/2 CUP
OF CHOPPED SCALLIONS,
THAT'S ABOUT FOUR SCALLIONS.

JUST RIGHT INTO
THE CREAM CHEESE.

A LITTLE SALT AND PEPPER
TO GIVE IT MORE FLAVOR.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
NOT TO WHIP IT,

YOU JUST WANT IT TO BE
REALLY SMOOTH, BUT NOT WHIPPED.

SO I'M GONNA TAKE THE BREAD
AND LAY THEM OUT.

I TEND TO DO THINGS
ASSEMBLY LINE.

JUST LAY THEM RIGHT OUT
LIKE THAT.

THE IMPORTANT THING'S
TO PUT THE CREAM CHEESE
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BREAD

SO WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER,
THEY STICK TOGETHER.

AND JUST SPREAD CREAM CHEESE
ON ALL THE PIECES OF BREAD,

JUST A THIN LAYER.

DON'T NEGLECT THE CORNERS.

AND PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME
ABOUT COCKTAIL PARTIES --

HOW MANY THINGS TO SERVE,
WHAT TO SERVE,

AND THIS IS THE WAY
I THINK ABOUT IT.

I THINK ABOUT A COCKTAIL PARTY
THE WAY I THINK ABOUT
A DINNER PARTY.

YOU WANT A BALANCE OF FLAVORS
AND FOODS

SO I'LL MAKE ONE HORS D'OEUVRE
THAT'S VEGETARIAN,

SOMETHING THAT HAS MEAT IN IT,
LIKE THIS HAS TURKEY IN IT.

I DO SOMETHING THAT'S SEAFOOD.

YOU REALLY WANT IT TO HAVE
A NICE BALANCE

THE WAY A MEAL HAS A BALANCE.

AND FOR THE QUANTITIES,
THREE OR FOUR PIECES
PER PERSON

AND YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH.

NEXT IS THE TURKEY.

SO WHAT I'VE GOT
IS SMOKED TURKEY.

SO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
IS COVER EACH SANDWICH

WITH ONE LAYER OF
SMOKED TURKEY.

AND YOU ONLY WANT TO PUT IT ON
HALF THE SANDWICHES

BECAUSE, OR COURSE,
THE OTHER ONES ARE
GONNA BE THE TOPS.

OKAY, NEXT IS THE BASIL.

I'M JUST PUTTING ONE LEAF
ON EACH SANDWICH.

BASIL'S REALLY GREAT
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY PEPPERY,

WHICH GIVES GREAT FLAVOR
TO THIS.

THEN THE TOPS GO ON.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE
THEY LINE UP.

AND PRESS THEM A LITTLE
SO THEY STICK.

OKAY, ONTO A BAKING SHEET
LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.

SO I'M GONNA REFRIGERATE THESE
UNTIL THE CREAM CHEESE
IS REALLY COLD

AND THEN IT STAYS TOGETHER
VERY WELL.

OKAY, AND THIS IS THE TRICK
FOR KEEPING THEM REALLY MOIST.

DAMP PAPER TOWELS.

JUST TAKE TWO PAPER TOWELS,

YOU WANT THEM
JUST SLIGHTLY DAMP --

ONLY SLIGHTLY,

JUST DAMPEN IT
AND THEN SQUEEZE IT OUT.

AND HOPEFULLY
THEY STAY TOGETHER.

I'M GONNA STORE THIS
JUST LIKE THIS

IN THE REFRIGERATOR
FOR ABOUT AN HOUR

'TIL THEY GET NICE AND FIRM.

IF I'M GONNA STORE THEM
FOR LONGER THAN THAT

I'LL WRAP THE WHOLE THING
IN PLASTIC WRAP

AND THEY'LL STAY JUST DELICIOUS
FOR LIKE, SIX HOURS.

SO GET THESE NICE AND COLD

AND THEN CUT THEM
JUST BEFORE THE PARTY.

WHEN THE SANDWICHES ARE COLD
PUT THEM ON A BOARD,

CUT THE CRUSTS OFF
WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE.

THEN CUT EACH SANDWICH IN HALF.

I DO IT DIAGONALLY,
I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT.

PUT THE LITTLE
TRIANGULAR SANDWICHES
ONTO A SQUARE PLATTER

WITH THE POINTS UP.

I ARRANGE THEM IN TWO ROWS.

THEN BECAUSE
I LIKE TO GARNISH IT

WITH SOMETHING
THAT'S IN THE SANDWICH

I PUT A BUNCH OF BASIL
ON THE PLATTER.

SO THAT'S ONE DOWN,
FIVE TO GO.

YOU KNOW,
I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME,

BUT YOUR FRIENDS
DON'T HAVE MORE FUN
IF YOU MAKE EVERYTHING YOURSELF.

SO INSTEAD OF COOKING
I'M GONNA ASSEMBLE
TWO APPETIZERS

AND THE FIRST ONE
IS ENDIVE LEAVES
WITH CREAMY GORGONZOLA.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

FIRST PEEL THE ENDIVE LEAVES
CAREFULLY OFF THE STALK.

PUT SOME LEAVES OF PARSLEY
ON EACH ENDIVE LEAF.

IT'S THE PERFECT BACKDROP
FOR THE GORGONZOLA.

AND PLACE ABOUT A TABLESPOON
OF REALLY GOOD GORGONZOLA

ONTO THE BASE
OF THE ENDIVE LEAF.

YOU'LL BE SURPRISED
WHAT A GREAT TASTE COMBINATION
IT IS.

NOW THAT WAS PRETTY EASY.

SO MY SECOND
ASSEMBLED HORS D'OEUVRES

IS SMOKED SALMON ON BLINIS
WITH A LITTLE CREME FRAICHE.

AND MY SECRET IS
I BOUGHT THE BLINIS
AT THE STORE.

ALL I HAVE TO DO
IS HEAT THEM UP FOR A SECOND.

WARM THE BLINIS IN THE OVEN
AT 350 DEGREES JUST FOR
ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

THEN LET THEM
COOL DOWN A LITTLE.

YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO HEAT UP
THE SMOKED SALMON.

AND TOP EACH ONE
WITH A LITTLE PIECE
OF SMOKED SALMON.

I LIKE NORWEGIAN SALMON.

IT'S A LITTLE DRIER
AND NOT QUITE AS SALTY
AS OTHER SALMON.

THEN A GENEROUS DOLLOP
OF CREME FRAICHE

AND GARNISH EACH ONE
WITH A LITTLE SPRIG OF DILL.

THAT'S BLINIS
WITH CREME FRAICHE
AND SMOKED SALMON.

SO THAT'S
THREE HORS D'OEUVRES DOWN,

THREE TO GO, AND HEY,
I HAVEN'T EVEN BROKEN A SWEAT.

NEXT UP,
MORE EASY HORS D'OEUVRES.

PARMESAN THYME CRACKERS,

SHRIMP WITH RUSSIAN DRESSING,

AND SALAMI WITH CUCUMBERS.

THEN IT'S SETTING UP
A COCKTAIL BAR

SHAKING UP A SURPRISE COCKTAIL,

AND "ASK INA" ON --
YOU GUESSED IT, COCKTAILS.

THROWING A COCKTAIL PARTY
DOES SEEM DAUNTING,

BUT THIS IS MY SECRET.

I ONLY MAKE TWO APPETIZERS
AND I ASSEMBLE THE REST.

AND THEN I DON'T HAVE TO SPEND
A WEEK GETTING READY FOR IT.

SO I'VE MADE
ONE OTHER APPETIZER

AND NOW I'M MAKING
PARMESAN THYME CRACKERS.

THEY SOUND COMPLICATED
'CAUSE WHO MAKES CRACKERS,

BUT THEY'RE SO EASY
AND DELICIOUS.

I'M GONNA START
WITH 1/4 POUND OF BUTTER.

IT HAS TO BE ROOM TEMPERATURE,
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

I'M JUST GONNA PUT IT
ON LOW SPEED TO MIX IT UP.

AND THEN THE NEXT THING
IS PARMESAN.

SO A CHUNK OF PARMESAN --

I NEED FOUR OUNCES,
ABOUT ONE CUP OF
GRATED PARMESAN.

I USE REALLY GOOD
REGGIANO CHEESE.

IT'S GOT THAT SORT OF PEPPERY,
WONDERFUL EDGY FLAVOR.

I DO THE GRATING
IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR.

I'LL SHOW YOU.

THIS IS NO-STRESS PARMESAN.

NOISY, BUT NO STRESS.

YOU WANT TO BE SURE
IT'S VERY FINELY GROUND

SO YOU DON'T HAVE BIG PIECES
OF PARMESAN IN THE CRACKERS.

SO THAT'S PERFECT,
FINELY GROUND.

SO I NEED FOUR OUNCES
OF PARMESAN CHEESE.

JUST BE SURE YOU BUY
A BIGGER PIECE

BECAUSE YOU END UP
WITH THE RIND.

AND IT'S ABOUT ONE CUP,
SO I'M JUST GONNA MEASURE IT.

OOH...

NOBODY EVER SAID
I WAS A NEAT COOK.

JUST PUT IT IN WITH THE BUTTER
AND LET THAT MIX UP.

IN THE MEANTIME,
I'M GONNA GET THE THYME READY.

SO I NEED ONE TEASPOON
OF THYME LEAVES.

PEEL THEM RIGHT OFF THE STEMS.

THIS IS THE TIME
FOR FRESH HERBS.

IT REALLY MAKES
ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

DRY HERBS JUST DON'T HAVE
THE SAME KIND OF FLAVOR

OR SORT OF FRESHNESS
ABOUT THEM.

OKAY, SO JUST GIVE THIS
A BIG, ROUGH CHOP.

OKAY, THAT SHOULD BE ABOUT
A TEASPOON.

JUST RIGHT INTO THE MIX.

SALT AND PEPPER,
ALWAYS IMPORTANT.

SO 1/2 TEASPOON OF SALT,
I USE KOSHER SALT.

I CAN SMELL THE PARMESAN,
IT'S GREAT.

AND 1/2 TEASPOON OF PEPPER.

AND THEN FLOUR.

I NEED 1 1/4 CUPS OF FLOUR.

JUST ADD IT SLOWLY.

THIS IS WHY
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

FOR THE BUTTER
TO BE ROOM TEMPERATURE.

IF IT'S TOO COLD
IT'LL NEVER MIX IN PROPERLY.

SO THIS IS MIXING UP,
IT'S A LITTLE CRUMBLY.

AND ACTUALLY
IF THE WATER CONTENT
OF THE BUTTER IS LOW

I ADD A LITTLE BIT
OF EXTRA WATER

AND THEN IT WILL
ALL COME TOGETHER NICELY.

THAT'S ACTUALLY ALWAYS TRUE
ABOUT SHORTBREAD, I FIND,

WHETHER IT'S SWEET OR SAVORY.

IF THE BUTTER
IS A LITTLE BIT DRY

IT WON'T ACTUALLY PULL TOGETHER.

YOU WANT TO MAKE A NICE DOUGH
SO THAT'S JUST PERFECT.

OKAY, I LOVE THIS KIND OF
HORS D'OEUVRES

BECAUSE I CAN MAKE THE ROLL
IN ADVANCE, LEAVE IT IN
THE REFRIGERATOR,

AND THEN JUST SLICE IT
AND BAKE IT BEFORE COCKTAILS.

FLOURED BOARD.

SO I WANT TO MAKE
A NINE-INCH ROLL.

PULL THE DOUGH TOGETHER

AND JUST ROLL IT OUT
UNTIL IT'S NINE INCHES LONG

AND THEN IT WILL BE EXACTLY
THE RIGHT DIAMETER.

OKAY, SO THAT SHOULD BE PERFECT.

I'M JUST GONNA WRAP IT UP
IN PLASTIC WRAP.

I'M GONNA REFRIGERATE IT
UNTIL IT'S REALLY FIRM

AND THEN
JUST BEFORE SERVING THEM

I'M GONNA BAKE THEM
AND THEY'RE GONNA BE SO GOOD.

INTO THE FRIDGE UNTIL
THEY'RE NICE AND CHILLED
SO THEY'RE REALLY FIRM.

THEN SLICE THEM 3/8 THICK,

PUT THEM ON A SHEET PAN
WITH PARCHMENT PAPER,

INTO THE OVEN AT 350 DEGREES
FOR 22 MINUTES EXACTLY

AND THEY'RE GONNA BE PERFECT.

SO THIS IS THE FOURTH
HORS D'OEUVRE OUT OF SIX --

PARMESAN AND THYME CRACKERS.

I JUST LET THEM COOL A LITTLE
ON THE TRAY.

A PRETTY PLATTER AND I'M DONE.

THE LAST TWO,
WE'RE TALKING STORE-BOUGHT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THEY'RE NOT DELICIOUS.

I'M GONNA START WITH SHRIMP
AND RUSSIAN DRESSING.

IT'S A GREAT COMBINATION.

NOW PAY ATTENTION,
THIS IS REALLY EASY.

RUSSIAN DRESSING
IS JUST TWO INGREDIENTS,

WHICH ARE 1/2 CUP OF KETCHUP --
USE GOOD KETCHUP,

AND 1/2 CUP OF MAYONNAISE.

JUST STIR IT TOGETHER.

YOU CAN BUY IT ALREADY MIXED
BUT THIS IS HARDLY A RECIPE.

PUT THE RUSSIAN DRESSING
IN THE MIDDLE OF A PLATTER

AND ARRANGE STORE-BOUGHT,
COOKED SHRIMP AROUND IT,
AND THAT'S IT.

YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS FAST
AND DELICIOUS, WATCH THIS.

THESE ARE
TWO GREAT INGREDIENTS TOGETHER,

HOT HOUSE CUCUMBERS AND SALAMI.

SLICE A HOT HOUSE CUCUMBER
JUST ABOUT 1/4 INCH THICK.

I LIKE THIS KIND
BECAUSE THE SKIN IS THINNER
THAN REGULAR CUCUMBERS

AND IT'S LESS BITTER.

AND THEN SLICE A SMALL SALAMI
EXACTLY THE SAME THICKNESS
AS THE CUCUMBER.

I LIKE TO ARRANGE THEM
ON A RECTANGULAR PLATTER,

SALAMI DOWN ONE SIDE
AND CUCUMBER DOWN THE OTHER.

IT LOOKS GREAT, IT'S DELICIOUS,
AND IT'S DONE.

SO THAT'S SIX HORS D'OEUVRES,
AN ENTIRE COCKTAIL PARTY,

HOMEMADE, STORE-BOUGHT,
AND ASSEMBLED.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK
I'M GONNA SAY, HOW EASY IS THAT?

NEXT IT'S SETTING UP A BAR

AND A SURPRISE COCKTAIL

THAT A LOCAL BARTENDER
IS CREATING JUST FOR ME.

THEN I'M MEETING YOU ALL
FOR COCKTAILS IN "ASK INA."

SO NOW THAT I'VE GOT
THE FOOD COVERED

I'M GONNA TURN MY ATTENTION
TO WHAT, COCKTAILS.

I'M GONNA SET UP A BAR

AND AFTER YEARS OF CATERING
I'VE GOT THIS DOWN TO
A SCIENCE.

I'LL SHOW YOU HOW I DO IT.

I USE A SIMPLE,
WHITE CATERING CLOTH
OVER A SIX-FOOT CATERING TABLE.

IT LOOKS SO ELEGANT
NOT TO HAVE EXCESS FABRIC
AT THE CORNERS,

SO THIS IS WHAT CATERERS DO.

TO GET A BOXED EDGE
TAKE THE CORNER AT THE BACK,

PULL IT OVER THE TABLE,

SMOOTH IT OUT GENTLY...

AND THEN TAKE THE WHOLE THING
AND FOLD IT BACK

AND WHAT YOU END UP WITH
IS A COMPLETELY BOXED EDGE.

IT'S VERY FLAT
AND IT'S VERY ELEGANT.

NOW PAY ATTENTION --

SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVE ASKED ME HOW DO TO THIS,

I'M GONNA DO IT ONE MORE TIME.

TAKE THE CORNER AT THE BACK,

PULL IT OVER THE TABLE,

SMOOTH IT OUT NEATLY,

THEN TAKE THE WHOLE THING
AND FOLD IT BACK.

AND VOILA,
A COMPLETELY BOXED TABLECLOTH.

AND ON WE GO.

AND IF YOU WANT
SOMETHING MORE SPECIAL
THAN JUST A PLAIN, WHITE CLOTH

YOU CAN TAKE A STRIPED CLOTH
AND FOLD IT DIAGONALLY
OVER THE TABLE

WITH THE POINT FACING DOWN
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

THIS IS THE WAY
I ARRANGE THE WINE GLASSES.

I TAKE A ROW OF
STEMMED WINE GLASSES

AND MAKE A ROW RIGHT DOWN
THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE.

THEN I MAKE A SECOND ROW
STARTING ONE GLASS IN
ON THE EDGE.

AND THEN A THIRD ROW
ONE GLASS IN FROM THAT.

FOR DECORATION, JUST
A SIMPLE ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.

THEN THE DRINKS GO ON.

FIRST THE SOFT DRINKS AND MIXERS

LIKE WATER, COLA, GINGER ALE.

AND A SELECTION OF ALCOHOL --

SCOTCH, VODKA, BOURBON, RUM,
WHATEVER YOU LIKE.

ALL IT PLACED
AT THE BACK OF THE TABLE.

AND THAT'S THE BAR.

WHEN IT COMES TO COCKTAILS
I LIKE THE CLASSICS,

BUT EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE
IT'S FUN TO SHAKE THINGS UP.

SO I'VE ASKED MY FRIEND
GLENN LAUGHTON FROM RED BAR

TO COME OVER
AND SHAKE UP A COCKTAIL FOR ME.

HI, WELCOME TO RED BAR.

WHEN INA CALLED I WAS THRILLED,
I WAS VERY EXCITED.

I DECIDED TO CREATE A COCKTAIL
IN HER HONOR.

IT'S CALLED THE INA-TINI.

THIS IS MY LAST TEST
AND THEN I'M GONNA
HEAD ON OVER TO INA'S

SO LET'S GO.

THE FIRST THING YOU'LL NEED

NICE, DELICIOUS,
PLUMP RASPBERRIES.

ON TOP OF THAT
YOU WOULD PUT IN

THE FRESHLY SQUEEZED JUICE
OF ONE LIME,

FOLLOWED BY ROUGHLY
THREE OUNCES OF WATER,
ICE-COLD WATER.

THEN YOU WOULD TOP IT OFF
WITH JUST ENOUGH SIMPLE SYRUP
TO TASTE.

BASICALLY IT'S EQUAL RATIONS
OF SUGAR AND WATER.

PULSE IT UNTIL YOU GET
THE CONSISTENCY OF
A NICE PUREE.

SEE HOW EASY?

AND THERE YOU ARE,

THIS IS OUR FIRST INGREDIENT
FOR THE COCKTAIL.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD
AND MIX THE FINAL COCKTAIL.

BEGIN WITH A SHAKER,
FILL IT UP WITH ICE.

THEN ON TOP OF THE ICE

I WOULD DO TWO OUNCES OF
A REALLY NICE ORANGE VODKA.

THE SECOND INGREDIENT WOULD BE
THE LOVELY PUREE THAT WE
JUST MADE.

FINALLY TOPPED BY 1/2 OUNCE OF
TRIPLE SEC.

GIVE IT A GOOD SHAKE.

AND NOW YOU TAKE
YOUR ALREADY CHILLED
MARTINI GLASS,

A FINAL SHAKE,

AND SIMPLY POUR,

WITH A NICE SLICE
OF A FRESH LIME.

INA, I'M ON MY WAY.

IT'S 6:00 SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD
AND IT'S COCKTAIL TIME.

AND I BROUGHT YOU
A LITTLE SURPRISE.

WHAT'D YOU BRING?

IT IS SOMETHING NICE, COLD,
AND REFRESHING THAT WE'RE
GONNA SHAKE OVER ICE...

I THINK IT'S REALLY COLD,

WE LIKE NICE COLD COCKTAILS.

LET'S GIVE IT A GO.

SO WHAT'S IN THIS?

IT'S ACTUALLY MADE
WITH FRESH RASPBERRIES,

THE JUICE OF A LIME,
ORANGE LIQUEUR,

AND A REALLY NICE ORANGE VODKA.

OOH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD
AND IT LOOKS GORGEOUS.

IT SMELLS DELICIOUS.

YOU NEED A LIME.
THANK YOU.

DO WE GET TO TRY THESE?
OF COURSE.

CHEERS.
CHEERS,
AND WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM?

IT'S ACTUALLY CALLED
AN INA-TINI.

DID YOU REALLY
NAME THAT AFTER ME?

I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE HAVE
SHIPS NAMED AFTER THEM.

I LIKE HAVING A COCKTAIL
NAMED AFTER ME.

THESE ARE DELICIOUS.

HERE'S TO THE INA-TINIS.
THANK YOU, GLENN.

HOW FUN IS THAT,
IT'S SO GOOD, I WANT MORE.

NEXT IT'S "ASK INA,"

ALL YOUR COCKTAIL PARTY
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

WELL IT SEEMS THE SUBJECT OF
COCKTAIL PARTIES HAS GOTTEN
EVERYBODY FIRED UP.

I'VE GOTTEN SO MANY QUESTIONS
TO "ASK INA."

SO LET'S JUST SAY
THE BAR'S OPEN

AND I'M ANSWERING
YOUR QUESTIONS.

WHAT'S FIRST?

THE FIRST ONE'S JENNIFER NEGRON.

"DEAR INA, I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU HAVE A ALCOHOLIC DRINK

"THAT'S FRUITY
OR NOT TOO STRONG."

NOT TOO STRONG, WHY?

"WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?"

JENNIFER, I HAVE
THE PERFECT DRINK FOR YOU.

IT'S CALLED
JUICE OF A FEW FLOWERS.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT
WITH OR WITHOUT ALCOHOL

AND IT'S DELICIOUS BOTH WAYS.

HERE'S HOW YOU MAKE IT.

OKAY, FIRST YOU START
WITH 1/2 CUP OF FRESHLY SQUEEZED
ORANGE JUICE.

POUR IT INTO A PITCHER.

THEN 1/2 CUP
OF PINK GRAPEFRUIT JUICE

AND 1/4 CUP OF
FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE

AND 1/4 CUP OF
FRESHLY SQUEEZED LIME JUICE

AND ONE CUP OF GOOD VODKA.

JUST STIR IT ALL TOGETHER.

PUT SOME ICE CUBES
INTO A COCKTAIL SHAKER

AND FILL THE SHAKER 3/4 FULL
WITH THE DRINK MIX.

SHAKE IT FOR 30 SECONDS,
NOT LESS.

MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY COLD.

THEN POUR IT
INTO MARTINI GLASSES

THAT HAVE THE RIMS
DIPPED IN SUGAR.

I LIKE TO GARNISH IT
WITH A SPRIG OF FRESH MINT.

IT'S SO DELICIOUS.

THOSE DRINKS ARE ACTUALLY GREAT
FOR BRUNCHES TOO.

PEOPLE ARE SO SURPRISED
AT HOW DELICIOUS THEY ARE.

OKAY, WHAT'S NEXT?

HI INA, I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG FAN
OF EASY APPETIZERS WHEN
HOSTING A PARTY,

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS
FOR SKEWERED APPETIZERS

THAT INCORPORATE
A VARIETY OF FLAVORS,

BUT ARE SIMPLE TO MAKE
AND EAT?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

SKEWERS ARE ACTUALLY GREAT
FOR COCKTAIL PARTIES.

A DRINK IN ONE HAND
AND SKEWERS IN THE OTHER

AND YOU'RE SET.

I'VE GOT SOME GREAT IDEAS
FOR SKEWERED APPETIZERS.

HERE THEY ARE.

FIRST, SHRIMP SKEWERS.

YOU MARINATE THE SHRIMP
IN BOTH DIJON MUSTARD
AND DRY MUSTARD,

OLIVE OIL,
FRESH LEMON JUICE,

SALT AND PEPPER,

AND I LIKE CHOPPED BASIL
AND PARSLEY.

THEN I JUST SKEWER THEM UP,

GRILL THEM INDOORS OUR OUTDOORS,
WHICHEVER YOU LIKE

AND SERVE THEM WARM
OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

THEN CHICKEN SKEWERS
WITH SATAY DIP.

PEOPLE GO CRAZY FOR THEM.

IT'S JUST GRILLED CHICKEN
ON SKEWERS

AND A DELICIOUS
PEANUT-Y SATAY DIP.

THE DIP AND THE CHICKEN
CAN BE MADE AHEAD

SO THERE'S NO STRESSING
AT THE PARTY.

THE LAST QUESTION'S
FROM IRENE HENDERSON.

"HI INA, I WORK 50 HOURS A WEEK

"AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
A SMALL COCKTAIL PARTY
FOR FRIENDS."

"ANYTHING YOU CAN SUGGEST
ON A SMALL SCALE
THAT'S EASY..."

EASY IS MY MIDDLE NAME.

"AND CAN DO SOME PREP
THE NIGHT BEFORE?"

"THANK YOU."

ACTUALLY THERE ARE
LOTS OF IDEAS I HAVE

AND YOU KNOW
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST,

IF YOU'RE WORKING ALL THE TIME
JUST GO BUY SOME THINGS,

SOME NUTS, SOME NIBBLES,
SOME CHIPS, MAYBE SOME
SHARDS OF PARMESAN.

AND I HAVE
A REALLY GREAT COCKTAIL

THAT'S SO EASY TO MAKE
WITH CHAMPAGNE.

PEOPLE WILL LOVE IT.

COME WITH ME, I'LL SHOW YOU.

THE FIRST ONE'S
ACTUALLY CALLED
A KIR ROYALE.

IT'S MY SIGNATURE DRINK.

IT'S CASSIS,

WHICH IS BLACK CURRENT LIQUEUR
AND CHAMPAGNE.

AND IT IS AS DELICIOUS
AS IT IS GORGEOUS.

THE SECOND ONE
IS A RASPBERRY ROYALE,

WHICH IS RASPBERRY LIQUEUR.

YOU DON'T WANT THE EAU DE VIE,

YOU ACTUALLY WANT
THE RASPBERRY LIQUEUR.

I LIKE TO PUT
A FRESH RASPBERRY IN TOO.

A THIRD ONE'S A MIMOSA.

IS THERE ANYBODY
WHO DOESN'T KNOW
WHAT A MIMOSA IS?

IT'S FRESH ORANGE JUICE
AND CHAMPAGNE.

WHOO, AND LOTS OF BUBBLES.

AND THE NEXT ONE
IS VERY MUCH LIKE A MIMOSA,

BUT IT'S BLOOD ORANGE JUICE.

SO IT'S IN SEASON
JUST IN THE FALL

AND IT'S REALLY WORTH FINDING.

IT'S A LITTLE MORE BITTER
THAN ORANGE JUICE

AND LOOK HOW GORGEOUS IT LOOKS.

IF YOU DON'T WANT
TO USE CHAMPAGNE

YOU CAN ALWAYS USE
ITALIAN PROSECCO,

WHICH IS LESS EXPENSIVE,
BUT ALSO DELICIOUS.

AND TALKING ABOUT ITALIAN
THE LAST ONE IS RIGHT
FROM VENICE,

IT'S A BELLINI

IT'S FRESH PEACH JUICE
AND CHAMPAGNE

AND IT'S A REAL
SPRINGTIME COCKTAIL.

YOU CAN MAKE IT
WITH FRESH PEACHES,

BUT WHY BOTHER.

SO THAT'S MY RECIPE, IRENE, FOR
THE EASIEST COCKTAIL PARTY EVER.

I HOPE THAT HELPS.

AND NOW
I'M GONNA HAVE A COCKTAIL PARTY.

I'M STARTING WITH
MY SIGNATURE DRINK

AND WORKING MY WAY THROUGH.

CHEERS.