Elle Entertains: Tequila Tasting Party

For this month's Elle Entertains, I decided to have a Tequila Tasting party! I went to a tequila tasting once in Mexico and didn't fully remember appreciate the experience. That would all change this go around! So why tequila? I wanted something less highbrow than a wine party but also summery and festive. Read on for the party details:

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For the decor, I was influenced by plates I bought in Mexico. I used them to display food and such. I also included lemons & limes in a couple of vases--I skipped the flowers this go around. See other uses for vases in THIS post I did. I used the lemons & limes as place card holders to denote the types of tequilas. More on that later.

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For the tasting, I used wine glasses (not shot glasses!) to hold tasting samples, as recommended. The key here is to swirl, sniff, sip, and swallow--just like at a wine tasting. I am definitely not a tequila aficionado, but I became one for this party! How? I did my research online (I suggest tequilarack.com). I also went to my local Total Wines store and talked to a tequila expert (seriously!). It also didn't hurt having an acquaintance who knows a lot about tequila as well.  

There are 3 types of tequila I used: blanco, reposado, and anejo. Luckily, by all of my research, I learned it all didn't have to be top shelf tequila. I had the place cards that denoted the type and then I wrote information about the brand/type of tequila on an index card next to the bottle. Sangrita is recommended as a pallet cleanser, so I whipped up a batch and served that in shot glasses. It tastes like a spicier tomato juice. It's not bad at all. 

Once guests decided what tequila they liked (some after multiple sips, ahem), I directed them to pour a shot and head to my Margarita Mixing Station. I had three premade mixes: regular, strawberry, and peach. Additionally, there was a batch of Yucca Drink (or Watapuli) with tequila already in it. Of course, some guests chose to do shots instead (!!!) or drink the margaritas without alcohol. I had water in a used, cleaned, label-removed wine bottle too.

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Yes, there was more than tequila sippin' and drink mixin.' I had some snacks as well. I started off with chips, salsa and guacamole (with my recipe seen here). I served ceviche, which was surprisingly easy to make. Fish tacos from Atlanta's Taqueria del Sol were devoured quickly. For dessert, a friend brought over Margarita Cheesecake Bars (non-alc).

• Wanna see more of my parties? Click here.
• Need cocktail ideas? I've got those too!

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