Marshmallow and Drinks Party:

No outdoor fire pit get-together is complete without marshmallows! Friends and family of all ages will love gathering around the fire to enjoy the gooey goodness of toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate. Keep it classic with the original recipe or get creative by providing your guests with a variety of ingredients with which to assemble the

The Essentials:

• Loads of marshmallows
• Skewers
• Buffet Style Dip Bar – melted chocolate, peanut butter, banana & strawberry slices
• Drinks Bar – as your heart desires
• Loads of wet-wipes!

Displaying your ingredients on a buffet style bar will give you the opportunity to liven up your party with the decorations of your choice.  Perhaps add a touch of colour with a lovely tablecloth or sarong and an assortment of bright bowls, or keep it simple and rustic with a wood table and glass jars. You can get extra creative by adding a chalkboard with fun recipes for your guests to try.

Roasting marshmallows over an open flame can be potentially dangerous, so we recommend keeping your party safe and kid-friendly by using long skewers. Finally, for a hassle-free clean-up be sure to stock your buffet table with wet wipes.

Wine Tasting Party:

Hosting a wine tasting party is a great way to do something fun, classy, and different with your friends and is a creative way to gather friends and family together to learn about wine and experiment with new or unusual varieties.  All you need is some supplies, a bit of knowledge, and the willingness to try something new. Add a touch of class to your fire pit party with just a bit of planning and shopping, and unlike a dinner party, this event requires very little preparation and clean-up allowing you more time to converse and enjoy your company.

What You Will Need:

Choose a theme

One of the most important parts of hosting a wine tasting is deciding what kind of wines you want to try. There’s no right answer that will please all your guests or lead to a perfect party, but here are some suggestions:

• Sample different wines from one region
• Taste varietals produced in different parts of the world e.g. Only sauvignon blanc
• Do a horizontal tasting: Taste only 2013 Chardonnays
• Tasting by one winemaker only

Figure out the food situation

You shouldn’t be eating during the wine tasting, other than the bread or crackers that will be needed to cleanse your palate. So, you should decide whether you want to give your guests a light meal before the tasting, serve dinner after the tasting, or serve appetizers or dessert after the tasting. Ideally, some sort of food should be provided so your guests don’t get wine drunk without anything to absorb the alcohol.  You can tell your guests what the situation is when you invite them, so they know if they should come with a full stomach, or if they should prepare to eat.

The Essentials

• Identical Wine Glasses

The glasses should have stems so the guests don’t warm the wine with their hands. The glasses should be clear so the guests can see the colour of the wine

• Water Pitcher and glasses
• Ice bucket
• Corkscrew (and a backup one just in case!)
• 4-6 Wine Selections
• A white tablecloth or white napkins. This will help your guests see the colour profiles of the wines
• Napkins
• Spittoon

This can either come in the form of a large bowl in the centre of the table or as small paper cups for each guest

• An aerator or decanter for the wine. This can help bring out the flavours in a red win
• Wine Information Printout
• Note pad and pens

The Extras

• Cheese
• Fresh Fruit
• Bread

If you’re new to wine tasting, be sure to check out these helpful guidelines on proper tasting techniques from Wine Enthusiast.