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Setting up a bar at home requires surprisingly little, but there are some basics that we can help you out with. Stocking your home bar - Depending on what type of drinks you wish to serve, what types of liquor, cordial, or indregient is needed. Answering "how do I make that?" - You shouldn't worry if you are entertaining and someone asks you to make a drink you have never heard of. Every bartender worth their salt has a copy of a drink book behind the bar. There are many bartending books out available, choose one you like and keep it behind your home bar at all times. Some basic terminology Highball - is one liquor plus one mixer. For instance, a Jack and Coke is a highball. Cocktail - is either a drink with one liquor and two or more mixers or two or more liquors mixed with one or more mixer. For instance, martinis and Mai Ta’is are cocktails. Neat - is when a drink is served straight, with no ice, in a sipping glass rather than a shot glass. Brandy, some liquors and many scotches are served neat. Drink Glassware The martini glass - This is fairly self-explanatory. If you treasure your carpets, purchase deep martini glasses, rather than the more delicate shallow ones. Shallow glasses equal a spill everytime someone bumps an elbow or laughs too hard. The Collins glass - is a tall, slender rocks glass. They look great, and are perfect for drinks with a lot of ingredients or for those who prefer a lot of mixer with a little bit of alcohol. The snifer glass - is one of those short and very round glasses for snobby drinks like Grand Marnier and Frangelico. It looks like a fat fishbowl on a very short stem. The average hostess won’t need these, unless she has a friend who likes to pretend he’s Hugh Hefner. Ultimate hostesses may just want to keep one or two on hand just in case. Top