The cocktail is an American invention and has a comparatively modern history. The term is used almost generically now when we apply it to late afternoon parties. Guests may be asked for cocktails and instead served long drinks or a punch, especially when there are a large number of guests, as this makes service much easier. One punch particularly popular with the men is what I call Old-Fashioneds Wholesale: the recipe is based on an old-fashioned cocktail poured over a block of ice in the punch bowl and served in either punch or cocktail glasses. Another good punch with slightly less authority has a rum and apricot brandy base and has actually been approved by many men as well as women.

If you serve authentic cocktails to a small group, be content with Martinis and Manhattans, both of which can be mixed beforehand and will be the better for chilling in the refrigerator. These cock­tails are not shaken so they may be mixed and served in a pitcher, if you like. It is a good idea to have the makings of highballs on hand, as there are always a few who prefer the long drinks. In summer, vodka and gin should be on hand plus the makings for gin-and-tonic (cut fresh limes or bottled lime juice) and Bloody Mary (tomato juice, lemon juice and seasoning).

It is also a good idea to have a bottle of sherry for those who prefer this, rather than harder liquor. In addition, there should be chilled pitchers of tomato juice, orange juice or chilled bottles of a cola drink and ginger ale for those who are on diets or "on the wagon."

For service with the drinks, besides the bowls of popcorn, potato chips, salted nuts, or other crisp salty appetizers, there may be ripe and green olives, small or sliced pickles, and a tray of raw vegetables, perhaps with shrimp impaled on toothpicks, accom­panied by a dunking sauce. While savory canapes go well with cocktails, they are a nuisance to make and, according to today's custom, trays containing several spreads surrounded by crisp crackers are preferred by many hostesses and, I am sure, by the guests, who often like to spread their own. While hot appetizers are delightful, do not attempt these unless you have help in the kitchen in order that they may be prepared in installments.

For special occasions, you may like to elaborate the cocktail party into a simple buffet. Late-comers will appreciate this particularly as the cocktail party often extends beyond the dinner hour. The standard baked ham or boiled tongue or roast turkey, trays of buttered French bread or tiny hot rolls will be all that is really needed, although you may offer as well dainty cookies or a bowl of fruit.

There are a few pointers which should be observed in planning a cocktail party for a large group. Be sure that you have plenty of glasses on hand. Your friends will be more than willing to lend you what you need to supplement your own stock or you may have a party rental service available—a great convenience as you can return the glasses unwashed! Small cocktail napkins, either linen or paper, should be in good supply. You should arrange for supplementary ice as you'll probably need more than the amount that your refrigerator will make at one time. Have plenty of liquor, ginger ale and club soda in reserve. If you do not have extra help for a large party, ask some of your friends to be re­sponsible for filling empty dishes, and for removing used glasses and replacing them.

DUNKING TRAY

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup chili sauce

1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds

1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar

raw vegetables

cooked fresh or canned shrimps

diced cooked rock lobster

Mix mayonnaise with chili sauce, mustard seeds and tarragon vinegar. Let stand at least 1 hour. Serve in bowl in center of chop plate or tray. Surround with strips of carrot, celery stalks, radishes, slices of cucumber, dill pickles, cauliflowerettes and shrimps or diced cooked rock lobster impaled on toothpicks.

SAVORY COCKTAIL SPREADS

Served in matching bowls, each accompanied by a butter spreader, savory cocktail spreads are placed in the center of a tray, surrounded by two or three types of crackers. The following combinations are suggested: liver or chicken pate with sour cream; cream cheese with chives or with minced onion and parsley and sour cream; cream cheese with drained, canned minced clams and onion juice; cottage cheese with red caviar; peanut butter with chili sauce and minced cooked bacon or finely shredded dried beef; flaked crabmeat or rock lobster with mayonnaise and Tabasco; deviled ham with cottage cheese; mashed avocado with catsup and cream cheese and Tabasco.

SAVORY CANAPES

The savory cocktail spreads may all be used on canapes of bread cut in rounds or fancy shapes. Another suggestion is the use of softened butter flavored with minced chives, minced watercress with onion juice or with minced pimiento. The spread canapes may be garnished with sliced, stuffed or ripe olives, slivers of green pepper, pimiento or pickles. Sieved hard-cooked egg yolk and strips of hard-cooked egg white may be used. Small sardines or strips of smoked salmon or sturgeon may be arranged on mustard-spread ringer lengths of bread. Sliced, partially peeled cucumber may be placed on rounds of buttered bread and topped with mayonnaise. For a special occasion, rounds of toast may be thickly spread with sour cream in the center of which black caviar topped with finely minced onion may be arranged.

OLD-FASHIONEDS WHOLESALE

3 bottles rye whiskey(or bourbon or Scotch)

1 cup sugar syrup

1 cup lemon juice

1 quart sparkling water

Angostura bitters to taste

Combine whiskey, syrup and lemon juice. Stir well. Add spark­ling water and bitters to taste. Pour over block of ice in punch bowl. Yield: About 50 servings.

Note: More lemon juice may be added, if desired. For indivi­dual Old-Fashioneds, allow 1 teaspoon sugar syrup, and 1 dash bitters. Place in bottom of old-fashioned glass, fill half full of crushed ice and pour whiskey over this to within 1 inch of top. Add sparkling water if desired. One slice of orange and 1 mara­schino cherry may be placed on top of the ice before the liquor is added.

SUGAR SYRUP

3 cups sugar

1½ cups boiling water

Combine sugar and water and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cover 1 minute. Uncover and boil 3 minutes. Pour into a heated glass jar. Cover and cool. Store in refrigerator. Yield: about 2 cups syrup.

BLOODY MARY

For each serving, allow 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 jigger vodka. Place in tall glass. Add ice and fill almost to top with tomato juice. Add salt and pepper, dash of Worcestershire sauce and dash of Tabasco. Stir well.

CLASSIC MARTINI COCKTAIL

For each serving, allow 3 parts gin and 1 part French Vermouth. Measure ingredients into pitcher holding cracked ice. Stir and serve in cocktail glasses with an olive or pickled onion. Bitters may be added to taste, if desired.

CLASSIC MANHATTAN COCKTAIL

For each serving, allow 1 part French, 1 part Italian Vermouth, 2 parts rye and a dash of bitters. If sweet cocktails are preferred, use all Italian Vermouth. Combine and stir in pitcher with cracked ice. Serve in cocktail glasses with a maraschino cherry, if desired. Bitters may be added to taste.

SHERRY AND VERMOUTH COCKTAIL

Use recipe for Martini or Manhattan Cocktail, substituting sherry for gin or whiskey.

RUM PUNCH

1 quart rum

1 cup apricot brandy

1 pint orange juice

1 pint raspberry syrup

½ cup lemon juice

1 quart sparkling water

Mix liquor and fruit juices. Pour over block of ice in punch bowl. Add sparkling water. Yield: About 40 servings.

DAIQUIRI COCKTAIL

For each serving, allow 1 jigger dark rum, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sugar syrup. Place in cocktail shaker over cracked ice and shake well. Strain into cocktail glasses.

Frosted Daiquiri: Mix ice with ingredients in electric blender.

HOT APPETIZERS

Hot appetizers should preferably be prepared just before they are to be served. Small cocktail sausages or frankfurters may be cooked in a covered skillet until lightly browned, drained on soft paper and kept warm in oven. Then they should be impaled on toothpicks before serving. Stuffed olives, oysters, shrimp, or wedges of canned pineapple wrapped in bacon should be broiled just before they are to be served. Codfish balls and cheese balls should be fried in deep fat, drained and served immediately.

CHEESE BALLS

2 cups grated cheese

4 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

fine, dry crumbs

Mix grated cheese with flour and salt. Fold into stiffly beaten egg whites. Blend well. Form into small balls and roll in crumbs. Fry in deep fat (375° F.) until golden brown. Yield: About 20 small balls.

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