Taiwanese Cocktails

[LEdlund]

A bunch of us in Seattle are going to a Taiwanese Banquet next week. I've invited the attendees to my house before dinner and am wondering if there is an appropriate cocktail/beverage that I should serve. Does anyone know?

[Bond Girl]

Good luck! Taiwanese are hardly big drinkers (speaking as a Taiwanese), but if you really want to get creative, you can make some concoction with red beans and milk (so many be a red beans with harveys or red beans with kaluha, or red beans with rum etc.) Or, you can do something with Lychee or melon etc.

[browniebaker]

Yeah, Bond Girl's right: we Taiwanese are not big drinkers. I've never seen cocktails served in a Taiwanese home, and definitely never seen any alcohol served before dinner. It's just not done.

The best thing you can serve a visitor to your home? Coca-cola! No joke.

[Bond Girl]

Aah, that explains why I love coke, and the real thing too, not that wimpy diet stuff that comes in a silver can.

[wattacetti]

Hmm…

Speaking as a Taiwanese, I would have said that the thing one serves to guests in one's house is tea.

As for the drinking comments, I'd disagree since I've seen/attended enough banquets and dinners where the cognac (in highball glasses with lots of ice) and local booze flows freely. That, beer and the guava juice.

[LEdlund]

Well, I'll have an interesting mix of things for sure! I'm going to offer the usual beer and wine but wanted something to get us geared up for the upcoming meal.

So far I've got something with red beans (great idea Bond Girl!), Coca-Cola, tea, Cognac and fruit juices (lychee, melon, quava). Since I want to offer both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, this is perfect.

Thanks for the suggestion, keep them coming!

Lauren