A home bar or bar cart takes your entertaining game to the next level. Rather than preparing drinks in the kitchen all night, a bar cart lets you stay where the party is and impress guests with your skill as a mixologist. Nor do bars have to be space-hungry. Compact home bars like the Nova, Churchill and Uptown pack a lot of storage into a small footprint, and look fabulous while doing it. If the mobile bar cart is more your style, Miss Marple by Reflex is a surefire hit. Finally, the Karim Rashid-designed Kart by Tonelli combines good looks with versatility.
Home bar essentials
When equipping a home bar, there are a few tools that are essential.
- Quality old-fashioned, highball, and martini glasses
- A bar spoon for stirring
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail strainer
- Jigger (for measuring spirits)
- Fruit knife and/or citrus peeler
- Mixing glass
Classic Old Fashioned recipe
- 12 parts American whiskey
- 1 part simple syrup
- 1-3 dashes Angostura bitters to each drink
In an old-fashioned glass, add bitters to simple syrup and stir. Add about 1 ounce of whiskey and stir again. Add two cubes of cracked, but not crushed, ice and top off with the rest of the whiskey. Twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.