Mixing
drinks is an art that can be mastered if you pay attention to
a few important details. Here are some steps that will help
you become a master cocktail maker:
Start with perfectly clean glassware. Choose the correct
size and shape of glass for the drink. Hand washing and
drying them with a clean, lint-free towel gives the most
sparkling results.
Use the highest-quality liquor you can afford without
going into premium brands that are best sipped alone.
Use fresh lemons, limes and other fruit for mixing and
garnishes.
Use bottled water for mixing and making ice if your tap
water doesn't taste good.
Chill glasses well, either by placing it in the refrigerator
until cold or by filling glasses with crushed ice while
mixing the drink.
Don't splash more alcohol into a drink than the formula
calls for - it may throw off the taste.
Blend, Shake, Layer or Stir
Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker or mixer in this
order: fruit juices, liquor followed by other ingredients.
Always use a jigger to measure liquor.
Shake or stir the drink, then pour it into a cocktail
glass to serve "straight up."
Add ice, then liquor, then mixer when using a blender.
The alcohol melts the ice, making it easier to blend.
It is good to add ice if a frozen drink is too thin or
mixer if it's too thick. Use cracked or cubed for stirred
or shaken drinks; crushed or shaved for frozen drinks.
Shake 4 to 5 times when using crushed ice and 8 to 10
times when using cracked ice. (Avoid over shaking as it
melts the ice too much and waters down your drinks.)
Make sure to garnish while serving
Use orange slice and a cherry to make a flag. Cut fruit
slices about 1/4-inch thick with a slit cut toward the center
so the slice can rest on the rim of the glass (use fresh
or refrigerated fruits for this).
Make a twist by slicing only the colored part of the
rind of a lemon, lime or orange.
Pour drinks as soon as you make them. At the end of the
party, it is advisable to add a little lemon juice to the
water when washing glasses, to help keep spotting to a minimum.
Dry glasses as soon as you wash them.
Warning: When consuming alcohol, be restrained. Do not
drink and drive.
ixing
drinks is an art that can be mastered if you pay attention to
a few important details. Here are some steps that will help
you become a master cocktail maker:
