WALTER Magazine - December 2017

Page 90

AT THE table

Raise

the BAR I by FANNY SLATER

remember partying in the ’80s. I was 4 and no taller than the hairy, high-socked legs of my grandparents’ friends. While many middleage couples elect to eventually slow down their social calendars, my dad’s parents were in no hurry to cease celebrating life. Or Passover, or the Super Bowl, or any other occasion that called for a six-foot-long sub sandwich and an open bar. As a child visiting my grandparents’ New Jersey home, I remember silently observing caterers as they scattered lastminute tufts of parsley over platters of lox moments before the first guests arrived. I remember my Uncle Mitch effortlessly snapping the cap off of a chilled Mexican lager and handing it to a nearby partygoer. I’m sure my family’s love of entertaining influenced the hostess I am today – well, that and my unbridled enthusiasm for eating and drinking. What I learned from my family is that the point of gathering is not just about where, it’s also about how we do it and what we designate as the star of

the show. For my grandparents, it was smoked salmon and everything bagels. Recently, for me, it’s beer. You read that right: I’ve been elevating dinner parties by thinking beyond what’s on the plate.

Bottle share

I’m a product of my generation, in that I’d rather spend my paycheck on an experience than a material good. I’ll take a trip instead of invest in a new car, and, on a smaller scale, maybe even pass up some new shoes to attend a local food truck festival. I also love to frequent craft breweries, a trend that’s seemingly here to stay. As interest in specialty microbrews grows, I’ve noticed another trend within it: Open a bottle, or order a pint, and pass it around among friends. It’s an informal take on beer flights. Translated to entertaining, my friends and I like to buy a bottle, open it at home, and share sips alongside appetizers. This is a way for hop-lovers, no matter particular preferences, to expand their brew knowledge and their palates. photographs by ANDREW SHERMAN

90 | WALTER


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