Hosted Blog

HOSTED | By Ink – Italian Dinner Party Edition So, you’re hosting. You want the food to be delicious, the drinks flowing, and the vibe chef’s kiss - but you also want to enjoy the night, not spend it chained to the kitchen. This menu is built for that. It’s all about seasonal flavour, easy prep, and big family-style energy. Serve the food with flair, keep the Negronis on ice, and let the night unfold. To Drink You don’t want to be pouring drinks while you’re plating pasta. Set up a self-serve drinks station with a printed menu and everything guests need On the menu, batched Negronis served on ice with orange twists - keep the cocktail in a bucket of ice and let guests help themselves. Since you have the gin, you may as well offer Ink Gin & Tonics. Put tonic on ice, and a small plate of rosemary sprigs ready to garnish with a sign saying “Top yourself up”. Sides First Set the table with bread, whipped or salted butter, and both salads. Make these well ahead of time and refrigerate. Have them ready to place on the table just before you start cooking the pasta water - these can sit beautifully on the table, ready to scoop onto plates as the pastas roll out. Crusty Bread + Salted Butter Get some good bread from the bakery and serve with softened salted butter or olive oil + balsamic. Checkerboard Salad This marinated fetta and cucumber salad is a showstopper. Get the full recipe here. Heirloom Tomato Salad Layer slices of red, yellow and orange heirloom tomatoes on a large platter. In a bowl make a quick marinade to pour over the top: olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced Red Onion, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper. This is the recipe we used. You want this to sit in the fridge for a good few hours to marinate.  Optional: Add a spoonful of burrata or stracciatella if you’re feeling extra. To Plate & Serve Hot If you follow this plan, you'll only have to cook the pasta and the burnt butter sauce during the evening - everything else would be done in advance. Once everyone’s ready, bring out the pastas. Serve both family-style on the table or plate them up in rounds - whichever suits your vibe. Burnt Butter & Sage Pasta Based on this 10-minute wonder from The Burnt Butter Table, this dish is buttery, nutty and beautifully simple.  How to make:– Melt butter in a pan until golden and fragrant– Add fresh sage leaves and fry until crisp– Toss with al dente pasta (fresh is best) andfinish with cracked pepper and parmesan – Serve immediately, hot and glossy Slow-Cooked Bolognese Ragu Make this up to 2 days before - it only gets better. Of course we used Queen Nagi's recipe for this and it was elite.  To serve:– Toss through fresh pasta – Top with grated parmesan and cracked pepper– Pour yourself a G&T and sit down already Fresh pasta bonus round:Make your own if you’re game - or turn it into a group activity. Just pre-make most of the pasta ahead of time, and let guests shape one type (like orecchiette or pappardelle) as a fun ice-breaker. That way it’s interactive, not a disaster, and doesn't take too long.  Hosting Flow Before guests arrive: Set out bread, salads and drinks station. Set the table. Keep pasta water hot and ragu warming gently. When guests arrive: Pour Negronis, mingle, nibble. Let people snack and chat while you do the pasta final touches. Dinner: Plate or serve pastas. Keep salads and bread on the table to graze. After: Sit back, sip something icy, and bask in the compliments. This is dinner party hosting done right:Beautiful food, great drinks, and enough breathing room to actually enjoy your own party.

HOSTED | By Ink – Italian Dinner Party Edition The Negroni is a classic for a reason. Strong, stylish, and bitter in the best possible way. It tastes great, looks cool, and makes you feel like you’ve got your life together — even if you definitely don’t. And when you’re hosting? Even better. Negronis are made to be pre-batched. No shaking, no muddling — just pour and serve. The Classic Ratio The beauty of the Negroni is its simplicity. Equal parts: – Ink Gin– Campari– Sweet (red) vermouth For one serve:30ml of each. Stir over ice until chilled, strain into a short glass with fresh ice, garnish with orange. Done. How to Batch Negronis Hosting a dinner party? Save yourself the faff and mix them ahead of time in a jug, bottle or carafe. Hosting tip: For bonus style points, decant into a vintage crystal decanter (check your local op shop). Sit it in a bucket of ice and let guests help themselves. It’s very nonna-but-make-it-chic. Optional: Pre-dilute to Save Time Negronis are strong, so they’re usually stirred over ice to add a little dilution. But when batching, you can do that step ahead of time. Add 10–15% cold water to your batch so all you need to do is pour over ice and garnish. Important: If you pre-dilute, keep the batch as cold as possible — in the fridge, freezer, or on ice — so it stays fresh and balanced. Batching Cheat Sheet (Equal Parts) Serves Ink Gin Campari Sweet Vermouth Optional Water (10–15%) 2 60ml 60ml 60ml ~20ml 4 120ml 120ml 120ml ~40ml 6 180ml 180ml 180ml ~60ml 8 240ml 240ml 240ml ~80ml 10 300ml 300ml 300ml ~100ml Batching a Full Bottle Go big or go home, right?If you’re using a full bottle of Ink Gin, here’s how that scales: Bottle Size Ink Gin Campari Sweet Vermouth Optional Water (10–15%) Approx. Serves 700ml 700ml 700ml 700ml 210–315ml 23–25 drinks 1L 1000ml 1000ml 1000ml 300–450ml 33–35 drinks   How to Serve If pre-diluted:Pour roughly 90ml straight from the decanter over fresh ice in a short glass. Garnish with an orange twist.  If not pre-diluted:Measure 90ml / serve into mixing glass filled with ice - don't do more than 3 serves per glass. Stir down well to chill and dilute, then strain into short glasses with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist.  Either way — no shaking, no stress. Negronis are the ultimate host hack: bold, balanced, and ready when you are.

HOSTED | By Ink – Italian Dinner Party Edition If you haven’t seen this salad yet, prepare to become that host. It’s chic, it’s fresh, it looks like a design object. We made it with low expectations on the taste - honestly, we were just including it in the menu for the vibes. But it actually tasted incredible as well.  Introducing: the checkerboard salad. Cubed cucumber and fetta, dressed with a balsamic-honey vinaigrette, all arranged neatly on a silver tray like the fashion week of appetisers. Here’s how to make it: You’ll need: – 2 large Lebanese cucumber, roughly the same size– 1 block of creamy Danish-style fetta (not crumbly)– A handful of mint leaves– 2 tbsp good quality olive oil– 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar– 1 tsp honey– Cracked black pepper– Sea salt (just a little) How to: Peel and cube the cucumber into bite-sized squares. Same with the fetta – aim to keep them roughly uniform so they sit pretty together. Use a big, sharp knife, and go slowly.  Arrange in a checkerboard pattern (cucumber, fetta, cucumber, fetta...) on a tray or shallow plate.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic, honey, a generous grind of pepper, and a pinch of salt. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the checkerboard. Garnish the sides with mint leaves – don’t overdo it. This is a statement salad, not a herb garden. Hot tip: Make this one in advance and pop it in the fridge. It’s a bit fiddly, so give yourself time – and letting it sit means the cucumber soaks up all that delicious dressing. It gets better by the hour. Serve with crusty bread and a chilled negroni (obviously).  

Welcome to your Martini Girl Era – where you’re the host and the main character. Whether you're sipping dirty or stirring bitter, your martini says more than your star sign ever could. Here’s what your order says about you: Dirty Martini (Ink Gin) Salty, strong, and totally unfiltered. You tell it like it is and look amazing doing it. Your skincare routine is elite. You know where to get the best oysters, the worst espresso martini, and you’ll take both. Dry Martini with a Lemon Twist (Ink Art Gin) Chic without trying too hard. You're the one everyone asks for dinner party advice. Quietly excellent at everything. You wear well ironed linen, know your wine, and can ghost with grace. Martini on *Insert Very Specific Backbar Gin* (Ink Bitter Orange Gin) Assertive, stylish, and impossible to ignore. You like your drinks punchy and your humour dry. You own more than one signature scent. You get mistaken for a European in airports. You don’t correct them. Gibson Martini (Ink Gin + pickled onion) A little weird, a lot wonderful. You love a niche reference, have strong opinions about olives vs. onions, and probably brought your own playlist. You're not afraid of onion breath. Unhinged in the best possible way. Vodka Martini  No gin, no fuss, no drama, no flavour!? Just kidding. You like what you like – and you’re not here to argue. You’re the steady one in the group chat. Unbothered, hydrated, and always carrying mints. Don't forget to give one to Gibson Martini girl. 

HOSTED by Ink Martinis love salt, fat, and flavour. Yes, oysters are the classic, but here are five other combos that’ll blow your mind. 1. Hot Chips + Mayo Crispy, salty, herby. This combo was proven during our Games Night party. Chips soak up the gin, the mayo cuts through the booze. Elevate with shoestring fries or stay classic with crinkle cut. 2. Blue Cheese-Stuffed Olives Dirty martini’s best friend. The funk of the blue cheese brings out the botanicals in the gin. Prepare to convert even the olive skeptics. 3. Marinated White Anchovies Salty, tangy, and perfectly briny. Drop one into your martini if you dare – it’s a next-level garnish. 4. Salted Dark Chocolate Not just a dessert pairing. A sip of gin, a bite of chocolate – the bitter cocoa brings out Ink’s floral and spice notes. A sexy little surprise. 5. Sushi Especially fatty fish like salmon or tuna. The clean flavour of a dry martini cuts through the richness. Try a martini + sashimi night instead of takeaway.

Hosting doesn’t mean stressing – and there’s something effortlessly fun about a games night. No need for a big meal or fancy table setting – just your best mates, a good playlist, and even better drinks. But that doesn’t mean it has to be basic. Elevate your games night into a Martini & Oyster party – hosted by Ink, of course. Here’s how we do it: 1. Simple & Chic Drinks There’s nothing more chic than gin martinis – and luckily, they’re incredibly easy to batch for a crowd.Check out our cheat sheet for batching martinis [link]. For non-martini drinkers, have a couple of bottles of wine and some tonic on ice so guests can mix their own G&Ts. But see if you can convince everyone to try at least one martini. We guarantee someone will convert. 2. The Food? Oysters. Fresh, cold, garnished simply with lemon. That’s it.They look fancy, take five minutes to prep, and pair beautifully with martinis. Snacks? A big bowl of oven chips with dipping sauce. We used a mojito mayo – tangy, herby, and dangerously moreish.Hot tip from a chip addict: cook them for double the time on the packet. Lower the heat and let them crisp up slowly – thank us later. Later in the night? Order pizzas. No one will say no. 3. What to Play Forget Monopoly (unless you’re ready to lose friends). Stick with games that are fast, funny, and a little chaotic:– Articulate – guaranteed to get loud– Cards Against Humanity – classic for a reason– Bananagrams – low effort, high reward– What Do You Meme? – millennial gold– Pictionary – lipstick + mirror = iconic– Or go rogue with charades – homemade categories always win 4. Set the Scene Candlelight. Fire in the background. Music low but vibey.Keep it cosy, keep it playful, and embrace a bit of beautiful mess. The vibe? Relaxed, a little offbeat, and a lot of fun. The kind of night where someone ends up dancing in socks and someone else falls in love with oysters for the first time. Hosting doesn’t have to be hard.Stir the drinks, light the candles, press play. PS: Once you get sick of the games, the night may end in a big ol' boogie - which is what happened to us. You have been warned....

Martinis are the moment. But making them one by one? No thanks. Whether you’re hosting a few friends or a full-blown soirée, batching your martinis means more time sipping, less time stirring. The best part? No pre-prep required, you can just batch as you go.  Here’s how we made our martinis for a recent party we hosted – two ways, both dangerously good. The Dirty Martini – with Ink Gin Salty, silky, sometimes filthy. This one’s a crowd favourite. And yes, it works perfectly with Ink Gin! The all natural botanical colour makes it even more beautiful.  For one serve: 60ml Ink Gin 15ml dry vermouth 15ml olive brine (adjust to taste if you like it filthy) Add everything to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir slowly for 30 seconds until icy cold, then strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a couple of green olives on a skewer – or plop them in straight from the jar if you’re feeling casual. No strainer? Us neither. We forgot our bar kit for this party (oops). But no worries - a slotted spoon over the rim does the trick. You don't need a proper bar kit to make great drinks.     For a crowd: Got a full house? This recipe multiplies beautifully. You can batch 3–4 martinis in one standard mixing glass. To make 4: 240ml Ink Gin 60ml dry vermouth 60ml olive brine Stir with plenty of ice (you'll need to stir 1-2 minutes, until the alcohol is properly diluted), strain, garnish – and serve like the cocktail Queen you are. Top tip: Keep your bottles and glasses in the freezer before mixing for maximum chill and minimum dilution. 🫒 Dirty Martini Batching Cheat Sheet (with Ink Gin) Serves Ink Gin Dry Vermouth Olive Brine 1 60ml 15ml 15ml 2 120ml 30ml 30ml 4 240ml 60ml 60ml 6 360ml 90ml 90ml 8 480ml 120ml 120ml   Pro tip: Always taste before serving – olive brines vary, so adjust to your preferred level of salty sass.   🍋 Lemon Twist Martini – with Ink Art Gin Silky, citrusy and a little bit fancy. This one’s for when you want to impress with minimal effort and maximum flair. Perfect for the more refined palettes, this really lets the gin shine. Don't use a bad gin! For one serve: 60ml Ink Art Gin 15ml dry vermouth Add both to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds until icy cold. Strain into a frozen martini glass and garnish with a fresh lemon twist – just peel, twist over the drink to release the oils, and drop it in. No peeler? A sharp knife and steady hand will do just fine. For a crowd: A drier style, perfect for group sipping. To make 4: 240ml Ink Art Gin 60ml dry vermouth Stir over plenty of ice, strain into chilled glasses, garnish with lemon zest, and serve immediately. 🍸 Lemon Martini Batching Cheat Sheet (with Ink Art Gin) Serves Ink Art Gin Dry Vermouth 1 60ml 15ml 2 120ml 30ml 4 240ml 60ml 6 360ml 90ml 8 480ml 120ml   Hosting hack: Pop your martini glasses in the freezer at least an hour before your guests arrive. Icy glass = silky sip. But also, if you don't have freezer space, don't stress. Better to have a martini in a room temperature glass than no martini at all...   

One word. YUM. If you’re looking for a drink that’s vibrant, refreshing, and packed with flavour, this Blueberry Sour made with Ink Gin is your go-to. It blends the tartness of blueberries, the brightness of lime, and the floral notes of elderflower into a cocktail that's as bold as it is smooth. This recipe comes from our friends at Bobby’s. If you’re in the area, pop in for an incredibly delish lunch and Ink Gin cocktail overlooking the water. Everything about this family owned business is on point! Ink Blueberry Sour Cocktail Ingredients: Handful of blueberries 45 ml Ink Gin 30 ml lime juice 15 ml sugar syrup 1 egg white 15 ml elderflower liqueur Ice Toothpick of 3 blueberries for garnish Method: Muddle a handful of blueberries in a shaker to release their flavor. Add 45 ml Ink Gin, 30 ml lime juice, 15 ml sugar syrup, 1 egg white, and 15 ml elderflower liqueur to the shaker. Dry shake (shake without ice) to emulsify the egg white and create a frothy texture. Add ice to the shaker and shake again to chill the mixture. Double strain the mixture into a glass to get rid of any pulp or ice shards. Garnish with a toothpick of three blueberries for that perfect finishing touch. There you have it - a perfectly balanced, beautifully flavoured Blueberry Cocktail that’s sure to impress. Enjoy!  

We teamed up with our neighbours Australian Bay Lobster to bring you a series of gin cocktail and seafood recipes, perfect for entertaining large crowds this summer season.