Bormioli Rocco America'20S

First decide whether you are setting a table or fitting out a bar. For water and soft drinks, choose the tumbler of 30 or 37 cl; the heavy base keeps the glass stable. Cocktails on ice go into the long drink glasses of 40 and 49 cl. The 74 cl copa is the eye-catcher of the series and has room for ice, a slice of citrus and a sprig of herbs all at once. For stirred and shaken drinks served without ice, choose between the 14 cl Nick and Nora glass, the narrow 15.5 cl martini glass and the wider 24.5 cl one. Coupes come in 22 and 27.5 cl. See also the gin and tonic glasses and the Nick and Nora glasses.

Big glasses call for big blocks of ice. Fill the copa about two-thirds with ice before you pour: it looks like a lot, but it is exactly that mass which keeps the drink cold and the tonic lively. In a sling glass you build the drink layer by layer, with the ice as the divider. Fill a coupe to a centimetre below the rim so you can pick it up by the stem. A gin and tonic or a french 75 makes the facets of the glass light up beautifully.

America'20s is pressed glass from the Italian factories of Bormioli Rocco, made for the hospitality trade. That means thicker walls and a weighted base, which lets the glass stand up to clearing tables, stacking and daily washing. The glasses may go in the dishwasher. The facets need a little more attention than smooth glass: rinse off sugary residue quickly and the relief stays clean, so the glass keeps sparkling as intended.

To see which other series the brand makes, have a look at Bormioli Rocco. If you are after more glassware with a twenties look, that is with the vintage glasses. And if you want to be able to actually make the drinks, the cocktail shakers hold the kit that goes with them. Still unsure about the shape? Put the tumbler and the long drink glass side by side on the table first.