Entertaining

A hot cocoa bar is one of the easiest ways to make December feel like December, and it doesn’t need a big kitchen. It needs one flat surface, something that keeps cocoa hot, and a few jars of things to put on top. Where to put it Not on the kitchen counter you cook on. A bar cart, a sideboard, the end of a console or even a cleared shelf of a bookcase works. You need about two feet of surface: one foot for the cocoa and mugs, one foot for toppings. ...

At a holiday party, the bar cart is where people end up standing. Most carts look the same in December as they do in July, which is a missed chance, because it doesn’t take much to change that. Three things do most of the work: something tall, some warm light, and a limited set of colors. You don’t need a new cart. First, clear it off 1. Empty it completely. Take everything off and wipe it down. Carts collect half-finished bottles of bitters and odd glasses, and decorations on top of clutter just look like more clutter. Put back four to six bottles you’ll actually pour, the glasses you need, and one set of tools. The rest can sit in a cabinet until January. ...