| igns are everywhere: more and more Americans | | | | mix. Wine and cigars, after all, make a lot of |
| are interested again in the idea of using their | | | | sense together: they're both acquired tastes, |
| homes to entertain friends and associates. | | | | they're both somewhat bitter, they both need to |
| An Amazon search for books on "entertaining" | | | | be aged, and they both need to be savored |
| calls up over 468,000 hits, while—if you | | | | rather than rushed. Red wine, especially port, is a |
| search "party ideas" on Google—you get | | | | good possibility. You’ll probably want to |
| nineteen million. Whereas entertaining seemed to | | | | steer clear of wines on either the |
| disappear from the culture's radar during the | | | | extremely-sweet or extremely-bitter side of the |
| ultra-busy, tech-obsessed 1990s, these days you | | | | taste scale. For that reason, beaujolais nouveaux |
| can turn on cable channels devoted almost | | | | and some cabernet sauvignons won't work. |
| entirely to the teaching of techniques for | | | | Ultra-bitter or -sweet wines, including white wines, |
| entertaining. You can even find, if you frequent | | | | tend to have such a strong taste that they |
| the right bookstores, a tongue-in-cheek children's | | | | won’t get out of the way and make |
| book purporting to show your toddler how to mix | | | | room for the taste of your stogie, so to speak. |
| a drink. The wild popularity of all those cable TV | | | | The opposite problem occurs with ultra-subtle |
| shows about food and drink, the success of Amy | | | | wines that won’t assert themselves |
| Sedaris's book I Like You: Hospitality Under the | | | | against the taste of a cigar. Also recommended: |
| Influence and similar tomes, the mega-success of | | | | red zinfandels, Pinot Noirs, and Spanish and Italian |
| Martha Stewart: all are linked by a new | | | | red table wines, which avoid extremes and have |
| generation's interest in throwing good parties, | | | | a taste strong enough to interact with that of |
| offering tasteful hospitality, and having | | | | your cigar but not so strong as to dominate it. |
| sophisticated, grown-up fun. The same core | | | | Beers might work—if they're well-made, |
| motivators, presumably, may have led many | | | | strong-tasting and dark. Stouts and ales work, |
| twenty- and thirty-somethings to take up cigar | | | | especially a chocolate stout with a chocolatey |
| smoking during the 1990s, the "boom" years of | | | | puro cigar. |
| the cigar industry. | | | | As for liquers, try fine malt whiskey. Or consider |
| So, if you're a cigar smoker (occasional and social, | | | | a coffee-flavored liquer. Best of all, according to |
| or everyday) who frequently entertains, you may | | | | some smokers, serve a fine scotch. Single malt |
| be considering throwing a party that unites those | | | | scotch comes especially recommended. |
| two often-linked pleasures: smoking and drinking. | | | | Like mixed drinks? Consider trying a White |
| Though there are some cigar aficionados who | | | | Russian (the Dude's drink of choice in the slacker |
| prefer to keep the two tastes distinct, many | | | | classic The Big Lebowski, a movie that might |
| others find that, with a little creative blending, the | | | | make a nice background entertainment during |
| right cocktail can really make a perfect warm-up | | | | your party), or a coffee-based mixed drink such |
| (or finish) to a good cigar. It's always a matter of | | | | as a Mudslide. (Instructions for making these |
| personal taste—and if you’re | | | | drinks are easily found online.) |
| entertaining, your first duty, of course, is to be | | | | A cocktail that some bartenders have specifically |
| sensitive to the needs and interests of your | | | | chosen to accompany cigars is the stinger, which |
| guests, especially those who are nonsmokers, | | | | mixes crème de menthe and brandy. |
| dislike the smell of smoke, or are allergic to it. | | | | Several New York hot spots serve this cocktail |
| (This might be a good reason for throwing a cigar | | | | with cigars. |
| party, with invitations restricted to those who are | | | | Be creative and have fun! To round things out, |
| interested either in trying a smoke for the first | | | | try serving a hard cheese as an appetizer. |
| time or who are already committed cigar | | | | Generally speaking, the stronger and more |
| smokers.) | | | | distinctive the taste, the better it will go with |
| As far as beverages go, good wine goes with | | | | cigars. |
| cigars—the finer the wine, the better the | | | | |