Short Cocktails and Small Bites

Take the guesswork out of planning your next cocktail soirée with these recipes for elegant cocktails, each perfectly flavor-paired with a small bite.

Sip on a classic ice-cold Dry Martini whilst nibbling a Crostini with Green Olive and Anchovy Tapenade; try a fruity Strawberry Daiquiri with Strawberry, Mango, Basil, and Pine Nut Salsa on Baked Tortilla Chips; enjoy a sparkling Lavender French 75 with a Goat Cheese and Pink Peppercorn Ball or a Pisco Sour paired with a flavor-packed Pink Grapefruit Ceviche-Style Shrimp Skewer. For the holiday season, nothing will impress your guests more than a Clementine Caipirinha served with a melt-in-the-mouth Warm Brie and Cranberry Sauce Puff. From elegant classic drinks, to lip-smacking newer creations, tangy summer treats, and sparkling ideas for special occasions, here you’ll find all the inspiration and recipes you need to plan for every event from a stylish pre-dinner tipple with friends to a full-blown cocktail reception.

Julia Charles is an editor and writer specialising in food and drink and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. She is the author of Ros� Cocktails for Ryland, Peters & Small. Having sampled many drinks on her travels, from Negronis in Naples, to Pisco Sours in Peru, she brings her passion for bar culture and instinct for flavor to the on-trend subject of paired cocktails and canap�s. Julia lives in London but is a frequent visitor to both Spain (where she has family) and her favorite Greek Island (where she has delicious cocktails...).