We all experienced the juggling act of holding a plate and a wine glass while trying to interact with others at a party. It can even lead to messy moments.

Some called them mingle plates, cocktail plates, wine & dine plates or one free hand plates; but the name does not really matter. Once you use it, you do not want to go back. This a plate with a slot to hold your wine glass for you to have one free hand.

This gadget makes a difference. If you like hosting cocktail parties, you must stock a dozen or more in your party pantry. But be warned that you may transform you into the hostess queen around your circles of guests.

What to look for in a mingle plate?

The plate must be strong but not heavy. That is why I usually tested plastic or acrylic plates with a good wine glass filled with water before buying. You also want to see how well you can handle the plate.

Plates with a rim help to keep the food in when you circulate. So it is a must-have feature. Finally this is for finger food, so there is no need to go bigger than the size of salad plates (7 to 8 inches maximum).

Selection of wood wine & dine plates

I enjoy the look of exotic wood plates. They are lighter than ceramic and nearly unbreakable. They add a little je ne sais quoi. Wood plates require more care as they must be hand washed.

The Turned Wood Mingling Plates is a new model at Pottery Barn. It is part of a serving ware series with a 3-Tier Stand and a duo of pastry pedestals amongst other pieces.

Crate & Barrel sells a cool looking rectangular cocktail plate. On the plus side is unexpected and has nice rims. I have never tried a rectangular mingling plate so I can say if it is comfortable or not. If some of you have tried a rectangular wine & dine plate before, I will like to hear your comments.

Frontgate sells a set of six Acadia wood Party Plates for $79.50. The plate diameter is 10 inches. As you can see from the marketing picture, the woman used both hands to hold the plate. That defies the intent. So I suggest staying away for this model.

The Tapas plates from Sur La Table are the winner for party goers. It is big enough to hold comfortably a couple of hors d’oeuvres at a time. The etiquette suggests that you serve yourself 2-3 pieces at a time. In a cocktail, you take a few hors d’oeuvres, socialize a little bit before you go back for more pieces. You often do not need more space than these small plates.

With the stemless wine glasses, the tapas plates look sharp. If you cannot afford the O Riedel glasses, remember that Crate & Barrel sells two models at $1.95 USD each. Make sure to select the higher one, the 17 ounces stemless wine glasses.

Color coded mingling plates

After the drink tags, now comes color coded cocktail plate set. I found two models at Wrappables that are perfect for our cocktail parties. The first one is a set of 4 different colors plates. Made in melamine, each set contains a soft blue, a poppy red, a taupe and a soft white plate.

The second model is more subtle; they have a color coded rims. Unfortunately they are 10 inch diameter. The weight is not the issue since they are made of acrylic. My concern is that it takes too much space when you are moving around and socializing. On the other, you will be able to use them at barbecue and picnic. Overall it is a great versatile buy.

Sourcing:
Buy online: Turned Wood Mingling Plates at Pottery Barn - price: $10 USD each
Buy online: Rectangular Wine and Dine plate at Crate & Barrel - price: $7.95 USD each
Buy online: Set of 6 Acadia wood Party Plates at Frontgate -price: $79.50
Buy online: Set of 4 Tapas plates at Sur La Table - price: $19.95 USD
Buy online: Set of 4 melamine Wine and Dine plates at Wrappables - price: $17.95 USD
Buy online: Set of 6 acrylic Wine 'n Dine plates is at Wrappables - price: $30.95 USD

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