Party Scenario
Set a color scheme of green and black (the opposite of red and white). This will determine your decor and menu.
On the Invitation
Encourage guests to come dressed in black. To add to the fun and mingling, have each single guest bring a single member of the opposite sex.
Ambiance
À la Addams Family, buy roses, cut off the flowers, leaving thorny stems and leaves to adorn your table. Add a sensual touch and no-slip surface to your table/bar with eco-chic placemats by ModernTwist, which feature abstract designs, like the Rex Ray Matrix.
Drinks
This tongue-in-cheek celebration calls for sour and bitter drinks. Start with the perfect whisky sour. Michael Collins Single Malt Irish Whisky is handcrafted at the last surviving Irish-owned distillery using age-old traditions. Mix 2 parts Michael Collins, 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 part agave nectar, 2 dashes Urban Moonshine Organic Bitters. For a mocktail, I recommend the Tart Cherry Q by James Sklar. Add ice to a highball glass, pour in a bottle of Q Tonic (qtonic.com), add a big splash of RW Knudsen Organic Just Tart Cherry Juice (rwknudsenfamily.com). QTonic’s superior formula mixes hand-picked quinine with organic agave for a tart 30-calorie treat. Plus it comes in sleek black and white bottles that will dress up your bar. If you don’t have a bartender on hand, make batches of the drinks and store in pitchers in the fridge. Guests can help themselves with the Seletti Glass Drink Dispenser (seletti.com), which holds over one and a half gallons—you only need to refill as the night goes on. Order online at michelevarian.com.
Food
Rawganique
It’s easy to create a menu based on green and black. Start with a bowl of mixed olives. Rawganique (rawganique.com) offers naturally cured organic sundried black olives and jumbo green varieties. Chip and dip healthier: Open a bag of organic blue corn tortilla chips and serve with a dip of roasted tomatillo salsa mixed with sour cream—see our website for the recipe from Myra Goodman’s The Earthbound Cook—a cookbook loaded with wonderful recipes and tips for green living. Don’t skimp on sweets. Righteously Raw 100% raw chocolate bars come mixed with superfoods such as goji berries, açai, and maca. (earthsourceorganics.com) They have a deliciously unique flavor and texture. Other ingredients to play with: coffee, black sesame seeds, black rice, blackberries, black beans, avocados, cornichons, pea pods, pumpernickel bread.
Photo Credit: Rawganique Photo: Quo y. Fu/Rawganique ltd.