Adding this to your poker snacks will keep you brain boosted and keep you in the game right the way through the night. Greek Yogurt: This is rich in calcium which helps to improve nerve function. It also contains the amino acid tyrosine which helps with the production of dopamine and noradrenalin which lead to improved memory and alertness.
The fifth article in our How to Host the Perfect Poker Home Game is a special one as Christopher Null of Drinkhacker.com fame has provided a fantastic selection of potential adult beverages to serve at your next poker game.
Some of the popular foods served for poker nights are chips, peanuts, pretzels, and pizzas. Other hosts serve heavy snacks such as sandwiches and tacos. It is very important to plan your food accordingly because most poker night gatherings are attended by men. Find quick & easy Poker Game Night 2020 recipes & menu ideas, search thousands of recipes & discover cooking tips from the ultimate food resource for home cooks, Epicurious.
If you like this piece, be sure to head over to Drinkhacker.com where you’ll find a plethora of recipes, reviews and all-around knowledge for the discriminating drinker.
By Christopher Null
You’ve got the cards, chips, and table all set – now what? You can toss a case of Busch tallboys in an Igloo, or you can put a little thought into what you drink.
Take it from me: A bad beat goes down much easier if you chase it with a shot of high-grade Bourbon.
Here are three suggestions on what to serve your crew, depending on the stakes of your game.
What to Serve at Your Poker Home Game
Blue Collar
When beer is on the menu, Busch or Bud will work well enough, but even the most casual of players are likely to appreciate a little extra thoughts. Check out Guinness Black Lager – a new brand from Guinness that is black as coffee but drinks like a traditional lager. $8.50 per six-pack.
Good Poker Night Food Network
Casual
One of the best values in the spirits world today is Bourbon and other U.S. whiskeys, and you can find an awful lot of great American whiskeys on the market without having to spend a whole lot of money. Try Evan Williams Single Barrel 2002 or Big Bottom Port Cask Finished Whiskey, both of which are available for $30 a bottle or less. Of course, if you’re ever worried the bottles will offend, you can always pour the whiskey into a crystal decanter and tell everyone it’s Pappy Van Winkle.
High Stakes
It’s not cheating to get your opponents stinking drunk before the game ever starts, and the best way to do that is by serving a delicious, high-end cocktail that goes down easy (but is manly enough to invite continued consumption). This original cocktail drinks like a martini but adds a touch of sweetness so your victims, er, guests, never know what hit them. You can make these bad boys a pitcher at a time (just multiply all proportions by 8) so you can have refills at the ready:
Drinkhacker’s Big Blind Cocktail
1 oz vodka
1 oz gin
¼ oz dry vermouth
¼ oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
2 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
More articles on How to Host the Perfect Poker Home Game:
- Part 5: What to Drink
Additional Home Game Tools:
Throwing a poker party with friends needs a lot of planning. You have to think of some good dishes to serve to your guests. Some of the popular foods served for poker nights are chips, peanuts, pretzels, and pizzas. Other hosts serve heavy snacks such as sandwiches and tacos. It is very important to plan your food accordingly because most poker night gatherings are attended by men. It is important to pick out a few recipes and food ideas when it comes to these kinds of events making them feel relaxed and full all throughout the night.
Take it from me: A bad beat goes down much easier if you chase it with a shot of high-grade Bourbon.
Here are three suggestions on what to serve your crew, depending on the stakes of your game.
What to Serve at Your Poker Home Game
Blue Collar
When beer is on the menu, Busch or Bud will work well enough, but even the most casual of players are likely to appreciate a little extra thoughts. Check out Guinness Black Lager – a new brand from Guinness that is black as coffee but drinks like a traditional lager. $8.50 per six-pack.
Good Poker Night Food Network
Casual
One of the best values in the spirits world today is Bourbon and other U.S. whiskeys, and you can find an awful lot of great American whiskeys on the market without having to spend a whole lot of money. Try Evan Williams Single Barrel 2002 or Big Bottom Port Cask Finished Whiskey, both of which are available for $30 a bottle or less. Of course, if you’re ever worried the bottles will offend, you can always pour the whiskey into a crystal decanter and tell everyone it’s Pappy Van Winkle.
High Stakes
It’s not cheating to get your opponents stinking drunk before the game ever starts, and the best way to do that is by serving a delicious, high-end cocktail that goes down easy (but is manly enough to invite continued consumption). This original cocktail drinks like a martini but adds a touch of sweetness so your victims, er, guests, never know what hit them. You can make these bad boys a pitcher at a time (just multiply all proportions by 8) so you can have refills at the ready:
Drinkhacker’s Big Blind Cocktail
1 oz vodka
1 oz gin
¼ oz dry vermouth
¼ oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
2 dashes orange bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
More articles on How to Host the Perfect Poker Home Game:
- Part 5: What to Drink
Additional Home Game Tools:
Throwing a poker party with friends needs a lot of planning. You have to think of some good dishes to serve to your guests. Some of the popular foods served for poker nights are chips, peanuts, pretzels, and pizzas. Other hosts serve heavy snacks such as sandwiches and tacos. It is very important to plan your food accordingly because most poker night gatherings are attended by men. It is important to pick out a few recipes and food ideas when it comes to these kinds of events making them feel relaxed and full all throughout the night.
Good Poker Night Food Ideas
Roasted pork is another good food choice that you can serve for a poker night. When cooking this, use a crock pot so you can incorporate any of your favorite barbecue sauces and add Worcestershire sauce. For an added flavor, put in some salt and pepper. Cooking time is about 4-8 hours, depending on the amount of heat you use and the amount of servings. Other things can be done in this long amount of down time. While waiting for your roasted pork to cook, you can prepare your poker table. Some people practice playing poker through poker gaming websites like party poker. They can hone their skills in playing poker, while novices can familiarize themselves with the basic rules and hands that are used in the game. After playing a couple of rounds, you will have an idea on how to play every kind of hand that you’re dealt with. The pork will be ready by the time your poker buddies arrive for the much-awaited poker night.
The kind of food that you are going to serve during a poker night should be simple to prepare, easy-to-eat, and most importantly, sufficient enough to allow at least 2 servings per visitor. It is recommended to prepare different kinds of appetizers for your poker party. You can serve a tray full of meat, cheese, and vegetables that guests can pass around easily. They can help themselves to tidbits of these foods in between poker games. You can also choose to add some spicy appetizers into the mix or go for some easy to prepare appetizers like coleslaw, potato salads, and pasta salads. Bear in mind that food that can get messy like Buffalo wings might stain your poker table. So if you are preparing this kind of dish during your poker night, take extra care in serving it to your guests.
Poker Night Food Recipes
If you are into home-made pizza, you can prepare your own using fresh ingredients found at your local supermarket. If you feel that you’re too tired to cook it, you can always choose to order at pizza places like Papa John’s.