Playing host: Punch-drunk edition

Although every last piece of expertise we offer on this site—whether it pertains to cell phones or sexual positions—is thoroughly researched by someone who actually knows what the hell they're talking about, I do reserve the right to do the occasional spot-check. And while I've yet to try on a pair of the studded combat boots Louis Terline of Oak recommended in our Fall 2008 buyer's guide (or to take the "wheelbarrow" out for a spin), this past weekend I made a big old mess of my kitchen trying to whip up a few of the items from our recently published home entertaining guide. I did this not because I doubted the wisdom of Mr. Matt Schneier, who pulled the package together with the help of experts like chef Bryan Calvert, but because my wife and I were hosting our own little shindig on Saturday night, and I was sick of the same old Barbera and bruschetta.

I am pleased to report that the dishes I tried—smoked salmon-wrapped asparagus, crème fraîche and caviar fingerlings, and toad-in-a-hole—were truly and honestly delicious (and yes, I'm a little biased). But my reason for writing today concerns the wickedly potent punch recipe that Mr. Schneier and our consulting mixologist, Jim Meehan, adapted from some boozy fifties-era entertaining guide. The list of ingredients read like Don Draper's inevitable toxicology report—one cup each of bourbon, Cognac, and rum, plus Benedictine, bitters, and a bottle of Champagne—and the resulting elixir, while quite tasty, was also strong enough to peel paint. Seriously, put a shot in a beer, and you've basically got a Boilermaker. Not such a bad thing when you're trying to get a friend's frosty wife to loosen up for once, but problematic when you're playing host and find yourself the next day trying to remember which snippet of conversation goes with which guest. So consider yourself warned. If I had it to do over, I might've stopped after my third cupful—although, potent as that stuff is, it'd take more than four servings to get me into those boots.

P.S. On the off chance you're unable to resist the siren call of that fifth or sixth glass, know that we've also recently published a Hotlist of the best hangover cures.