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5 top tips for creating a glamorous Riviera-style cocktail hour in your own home this summer!
May 6, 2020
A brand that has been built around cultured soirées and aperitivo drinking (the art of tantalising your appetite with a pre-dinner tipple), the name Martini immediately conjures up notions of southern European sophistication and style, film stars mingling on yachts and, let’s be honest, our dream holiday cocktail bars!
But never fear - if you can’t get to the Riviera for cocktails, then here’s how to bring the Riviera to you!
Inspired by Martini’s delectably punchy bitter orange flavoured Martini Fiero, which we feature in our May 2020 Gin of the Month box, here are our five top tips for creating a glamorous Riviera-themed cocktail hour at home!
Tip 1 : Create A Luxurious Atmosphere
The first thing to consider is the atmosphere of your cocktail hour. You’re looking for a mix of relaxation, sophistication and some of that old-world glamour that the Riviera exudes. The best way to achieve that is with strips of fairy lights and candles. Using these will create an atmosphere of glimmering, golden hues, mimicking those of a sunset over the Mediterranean.
Tip 2: How To Shoot Your Cocktail Hour
What’s more glamorous than a stylish photo shoot? Your cocktail hour can be the perfect place for one! Not only is this a great way to entertain yourself for the hour but it also makes for wonderful memories. Plus, with this tip your can make it seem as though you are actually in the Riviera if you are sharing your hour with friends over Zoom!
Here, it is all about the framing. The way you surround your self in the image can make all the difference. So we recommend devoting a specific doorway area outside to take photos (a bit like a homemade photo booth). The best way to do this is simply by placing plants and flowers at either side of you that you can stand between with your Martini cocktail as though you were just stepping out of a beautiful hotel, especially if they have a slightly tropical feel, like yucca plants.
Tip 3: What To Eat
Trust us, there is nothing glamorous about trying to wrap your chops around a huge spare rib or oversized sandwich (as delicious as they may be). That is why we recommend an antipasti board of bite sized canapes that will not result in you having a Joker smile of BBQ sauce. To really transport yourself to the Riviera, we suggests lots of small Mediterranean nibbles like olives, cured meats, cheeses, nuts and berries. C’est delicieux!
Tip 4: Prepare Everything You Need For Your Cocktails In Advance
Whatever your cocktail of choice may be, it’s always best to get everything you need out and ready to go before the hour starts - it’s so not glam to be running back and forth to the fridge or garage whenever you want to make a drink.
Get your ice in a bucket, your gin and your Martini Fiero opened and ready to pour, and your garnishes already prepped so you can just pop them in the glass.
It’s also important to have your cocktail making kit all laid out on the table waiting for you, again, you don’t want to have to rifle through the cupboards and cutlery draws during your cocktail hour - it’s just not a glamorous thing to be doing!
You can find Martini’s full range of cocktail recipes here!
Tip 5: What To Wear
There is a reason that this is tip 5 and not tip 1: getting ready should be the very last thing you do, so that you can make a glamorous entrance adorned in your finery, dropping the jaw and turning the head of any observer - be it a husband, child, dog, cat or budgie, you are going to make them stop and stare!
Access your inner Grace Kelly or Sophia Loren with luscious red lipstick, big sunglasses and a floppy hat or stylish headscarf. For an added touch of escapism, wearing suntan cream is a great way to get that holiday feeling, the smell alone fills us with joyful nostalgia of sun soaked trips to more exotic locations than the back garden.
Find out more about Martini Fiero and learn two great cocktails recipes, here!
