It’s no secret that Tahoe has an ample amount of choices for Après – but sometimes after a day on the slopes, it’s nice to relax in the comfort of your own home. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Après in your slippers this spring.
Fool-Proof Spread
Après isn’t just about the drinks. You can easily pull together a selection of snacks and make your own Grazing Board with just a few ingredients. If you don’t know where to start, just pick one from each of the following categories: cheese, meat, cracker, and fruit. Once you have your basics, add on some extras like fancy nuts, pickled veggies, or herb garnish and voilà – you have a charcuterie board. Have fun with mixing flavors and textures, and display your spread on a large platter or cutting board.
Some of our favorite combinations:
Classic Charcuterie
Sharp Cheddar
Prosciutto
Ground Wheat Cracker
Grapes
Roasted Almonds
Pepperoncinis
Countryside Charcuterie
Creamy Brie
Salami
Sliced Baguette
Fig Spread
Pears
Pistachios
Mountainside Charcuterie
Chevre
Linguiça
Baked Crisp Crackers
Apples
Olives
Pickled Green Beans
Crowd-Pleasing Cocktails
The hardest part about a cocktail party is making drinks to order. Save yourself the headache by making one or two large batch cocktails ahead of time – this helps create less clean-up and make sure no one is over-served. Add an outdoor cooler with beer, wine, and sparkling water and let guests help themselves to Happy Hour.
Try these easy make-ahead batches:
Apposta Cocktail
A wintry take on the popular Aperol Spritz
1 750 milliliter bottle gin
2 cups Aperol
2 cups sweet white vermouth
⅔ cup fresh lemon juice, strained
4 ounces (1/2 cup) grapefruit soda, chilled
Fresh thyme and orange peel, optional
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and serve in glasses over ice. Garnish with thyme and orange peel.
Rose Cucumber Cooler
A refreshing take on Sangria
1 750 milliliter bottle rosé wine
1 cup St. Germain elderflower liqueur
½ cup lemon juice
Thin lemon slices from 1 lemon
English cucumber slices from 1-2 cucumbers
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon and/or cucumber slice.
Brown Derby Cocktail
Whiskey with a twist
1 750 milliliter bottle bourbon
1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice
1 ¼ cups red grapefruit juice, chilled
⅔ cup honey
⅔ cup water
10 dashes aromatic bitters
Fresh grapefruit slices, optional
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and serve over ice. Garnish with grapefruit slice if desired.
All cocktail recipes from Better Homes & Gardens, 2019.
The Final Details
Once you have food and drinks covered, all that is left is to turn on some tunes and enjoy the afternoon! If the weather permits, open the doors and create a dynamic indoor and outdoor space. Leave some extra blankets out in case it gets cold. And don’t be surprised if your neighbors decide to drop by and see what’s going on, too.
