First impressions are everything, and you can ensure your event makes the ultimate statement from the get-go by welcoming guests with fanciful cocktails engulfed in billowing smoke.
Davina Chant, founder of Fort Myers-based The Twisted Trotter, debuted her Liquid Tablescapes service earlier this year to complement the brand’s mainstay mobile bars. As smoking cocktails have surged nationally, she recognized the bewitching spectacle was noticeably missing locally.
The sensory-rich presentation takes the welcome cocktail experience up a notch. Picture swirls of smoke flowing from above, enveloping Champagne flutes and highball glasses. The smoke hovers around the drinks for a few minutes, then billows over the table’s edge and toward the floor, disappearing. To achieve the effect, Davina places three to four canisters filled with dry ice on acrylic stands. As the frozen carbon dioxide hits room temperature, it turns to vapor. “It’s an entertainment and conversation piece,” Davina says.
Cocktail aficionados may be used to seeing smoky whiskeys and Negronis at restaurants when bartenders light wood planks or chips on fire to enhance the flavor and create a visual wow factor. For an event setting, Davina prefers flavorless dry ice, which doesn’t affect the drinks’ profile. She often concocts colorful and garnished cocktails to enhance the grandeur.
After the initial flow of guests has passed, Davina and team refill the dry ice to recreate the smoldering effect. “We pride ourselves in taking a ‘bar service’ to an unforgettable experience, where unique bars and elaborate displays steal the show,” she says. “What better way to greet your guests?”
