Patio Bar Furniture Continued...

I also noticed a late-developing note of white grapes. This beer finishes very smooth, as its lush texture rolls across the tongue. A slight bitterness tames the sweetness and prevents it from being cloying, but sweet is the definitive final impression. I served this beer to my friends while we sat at the patio bar furniture alongside a cheese plate that featured Emmental and Asiago cheeses.

In October year before last, I decided that our monthly meeting needed a change. That is when I purchased the patio bar furniture. I can still remember the first meeting we had after the purchase of the patio bar furniture. I completely over planned the entire event! I spent about six hours the day of the meeting preparing various foods.

I decided that we would have a wine and some finger sandwiches. I should have thought more about simplifying the sandwich fillings, but I was excited about the new patio bar furniture and my friend's reaction to it. I decided on Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio for the wine. For the finger sandwiches, I chose to make several fillings. I chose to make cucumber sandwiches. I really like those because they taste so crisp and fresh. I also made a smoked chicken salad sandwich. I chose that because our meeting is after work and around the dinner hour and some of my friends come to the meeting hungry.

While I was making the sandwich fillings, I decided that maybe some various crackers and dips would go well with the spread. I put our some very nice crackers, a cheese ball that I made myself and some smoked salmon. Everyone in our group loved the menu, the wine and the new patio bar furniture.

Next month I am planning to have a martini night for our meeting. I like martinis and they seem to be having a huge resurgence of popularity. I want to serve at least three different martinis, so I am not planning a lot of food to go with the drinks. I will only set out pretzels and butter crackers. I have gotten so much use out of my patio bar furniture and it fits with the style of my monthly meeting of friends.

I think that the martinis I will serve next month will be Sour Apple, Chocolate and a Cosmopolitan Martini. I purchased a cocktail shaker at the same time that I purchased the patio bar furniture, so I've had it awhile now. An apple martini is made by putting equal parts vodka, Sour Apple Pucker Shnapps and apple juice into the cocktail shaker. After the ingredients are combined, they are strained into a martini glass that I like to decorate with a twist of apple peel.

Chocolate Martinis are my personal favorite. A chocolate martini is made by putting one and a half shots of Godiva chocolate liqueur, one and a half shots of crème de cacao, a half of a shot of vodka and two and a half shots of half and half into a cocktail shaker with ice and pouring it into a chilled martini glass. I like to rim the glass with cocoa powder. This drink is delicious and elegant. I have not tried a Cosmopolitan Martini, yet, but the recipe looks good. I like regular Cosmopolitans. A Cosmopolitan Martini is made with Cointreau, vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice. I am really looking forward to our next meeting.