I can’t tell you how much I adore having friends over. Yes, I am still hosting in my backyard most of the time, but the ability to actually HUG people, to get close enough to see the expression on their face, feels like a miracle. If you are warming up to the idea of entertaining, here are a few ideas to make it unique and simple!
Keep it Light Yet Flavorful- Radeberger Zwickelbier
I love light beer, but sometimes it lacks…well, flavor. Many Ales definitely deliver on flavor but are pretty heavy, so I’ve switched to Pilsners. They seem to be the happy medium between flavor and being filling. Radeberger, a German company that has perfected the Pilsner since 1872, JUST released Zwickelbier to the US.
It is a hazy, juicy, unfiltered Pilsner (you have probably heard of Hazy IPAs aka India Pale Ales…this is a Hazy Pilsner) that has a 94 point rating from Beer Connoisseur. It is perfect for entertaining, coming in a 16.9 oz can. I love to have larger cans out for people to pour samples from if I am serving something new!
Hop on the Jarcuterie Trend- Wisconsin Cheese
I adore charcuterie boards, but when I entertain for a small group, the jarcuterie trend has definitely caught my eye. A jarcuterie is just a mini charcuterie board arranged in a small jar, like a mason jar. I add bites of multiple types of cheese- usually a hard, a soft, a stinky and a mild- and stick crudite, fruit, nuts, olives and hard breadsticks in as well.
I travel to Wisconsin about once a month, and I can’t help myself from stopping at the numerous cheese stores that line the roads. Fortunately, Wisconsin Cheese is available nation-wide, and they have over 600 artisanal varieties to choose from.
Thank You Notes- Five Dot Post
I usually buy a box of the lame Thank You cards, but lately I have been snagging cards that give me a laugh or have great design. I was recently invited over to a friend’s house for a wine tasting, and sent her a thank you note that I had carefully selected just for her. As a child, I was required to write thank you notes for EVERYthing. I used to be incredibly annoyed, but am so thankful now that it is ingrained in me.
Five Dot Post has greeting cards for the good, bad, and even messy times in life. This is my favorite Thank You card ever, and perfectly sums up some of my closest friendships:
Cards are $5 each, and make sure to check out their Apology cards (Sorry for being salty), and even specific Cancer Encouragement cards (Bladder Cancer can suck it OR Go make Bone Cancer your bitch). We all need a little humor during tough times, and this card company definitely delivers!
Cheers to celebrating the big (and even the smallest) moments in life!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are honest and my own as always.
