By the glass: A well-equipped bar

By Janet K. Keeler, Times food and travel editor
Published November 7, 2007

[Scott Keeler | Times] These glasses are all you need for a well-stocked holiday bar. Well, you need something in them, too.

From now through the new year, the calendar is full of reasons to lift a glass in celebration. But what glass?

The well-equipped bar easily could have a dozen or more different glasses for everything from mojitos to cosmopolitans to Irish coffees. But who has the space and money to collect all that barware?

Here are seven glasses that will see you through the holiday entertaining season. The only thing missing is a shot glass for measuring and throwing-back. For that, we recommend a small juice glass or maybe a decorative jelly jar. Very festive.

1. Stemmed glass
For martinis, fancy daiquiris and margaritas.

2. Tall "Collins"glass
For any spirit mixed with tonic, rum, Coke and 7-Up, plus mojitos, daiquiris and tequila sunrises.

3 & 4. Wine glasses
One with a large bowl for red and another, smaller, narrower glass for white. In a pinch, use the red wine glass for brandy and the white wine glass for after-dinner liqueurs.

5. Flute
For Champagne and sparkling wines, mimosas and bellinis.

6. Short "highball" glass
For any spirit on the rocks or with a splash of water, plus classic cocktails such as Manhattans and white or black Russians.

7. Mug
For beer and hot toddies such as Irish or Kahlua coffee, mulled wine or buttered rum.

[Last modified November 6, 2007, 14:05:12]