Hot Beverage Bar
By Natalie Tsang
November 3, 2011
It's been raining this week and it's put me in the mood for hot chocolate, spiced cider, and other hot beverages. One of things that I love about autumn and winter weddings is the possibility of a hot beverage bar, although the spring and summer equivalents of ice cream or shaved ice is not too shabby as well.
Here are some tips for the best hot beverage bar!
Great preparation
Everyone knows that great ingredients make for great food, but did you know storage and preparation also make a huge difference? Hot chocolate and hot cider are both prone to developing sludge on the bottom. It's gross, I know. This can be easily eliminated by pouring the beverage through a strainer, preferably out of view of the guests.
Talk to your catering staff to see if you can have someone at the beverage bar at all times. Set out just a few mugs at a time so the drinks are always piping hot and fresh.
A Condiment Table
There should be a condiment table off to the side so guests can customize their drinks. While the whipped cream canister and alcohol should be left to the experts, guests shouldn't clog up the line to the beverage table over things like sugar packets and napkins.
Some great condiments are cinnamon, cocoa powder, chocolate, milk, cream, various sweeteners, peppermint candies, and homemade marshmallows.
Run with It
When I went to Edinburgh a few years back, I was blown away by this hot chocolate shop that allowed you to put peeps and malted chocolate bars in the cloud of whipped cream in a latte bowl sized hot chocolate.
It's currently trendy to serve coffee with tiny doughnuts, but if you like big doughnuts or cookies.
1-800-701-4026
