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Making the Perfect Cocktail
Whether you are having a formal or informal affair, there is always the perfect cocktail or punch for any occasion. Whether you are having an al fresco banquet or a romantic dinner for 2 – there’s always the right drink to fit the bill. In this section we look at:
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Types of Drinks
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Equipment
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Techniques
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Garnishes
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Types of Drinks
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There are so many different types of party drinks available. They range from the sublime to the ridiculous in many cases (with many more in between!)
Punches
A punch is an old traditional British Colonial drink that uses spirits and wines that are heated up with fruit and spices and served from a large glass bowl. These days a punch can refer to cold mixes as well as hot, such as Planters Punch that uses Rum and Fruit Juices.
Cups
The formal name for cold punch. These are usually blended with fruit juices and contain fruit slices as garnishes. They are more often served in the summertime. An example of a cup is Sangria where Spanish red wine is mixed with fruit juices and left to infuse for a couple of hours or so. It is always served cold.
Aperitifs
This name refers to any drink that is taken before food. They are used to stimulate the appetite and come in a multitude of flavours. They can be a simple glass of chilled rose champagne or a glass of dry Chablis to the elaborate and sophisticated
Chasers
This refers to a longer drink that follows a short one. Usually it refers to a beer that is used to refresh the palate after a shot of spirit is taken. A typical chaser combination would be a shot of Rye Whiskey followed by a refreshing long lager.
Coolers
A cooler is a long drink that consists of alcohol, fruit juice, sugar or sugar syrup all topped up with a fizzy soft drink. An example of this is the popular Caribbean Sunday which uses Spiced Rum, Lime Juice, Sugar and Lemonade.
Daisies
These types of drinks are usually a blend of spirit, fruit syrup and soda.
Highballs
Any spirit that is presented in a tall glass and topped up with a sparkling mixer.
A gin and tonic is a good example of this.
Rickeys
These are unsweetened spirits blended with lime juice and topped up, over ice, with soda. Take a look at Trade Wind
Slings
These are drinks that consist of a spirit, lemon juice, sugar and soda. They sometimes have a liqueur added also. They are served in a long glass with plenty of ice. An example is Costa Del Sol
Sours
Always served as a short drink, these are spirits, sugar and lemon juice based. Try Milano.
EQUIPMENT
Cocktail making is an art, but with the right equipment, it is easy to get going!
COCKTAIL SHAKERS
A cocktail shaker is essential for perfecting the art. They needn’t be expensive, but should be large enough to allow the ingredients to be shaken well along with crushed ice.
MULTIJIGGERS
These are very important to ensure that you get the right measurements of your cocktails. Too much of one ingredient could ruin the entire drink – it always looks more professional!
MEASURING JUGS
These are used for measuring out fruit juices and soda rather than spirits; however, it does depend on what you’re making. Champagnes and wines can be measured out in this way.
BLENDERS
These are used for blending rather than shaking or mixing. Particularly useful when creamy mixers are used, such as single cream, coconut milk or when a frothy top is required. Banana Bonanza is a good example of this.
ICEBAGS
Useful when a lot of ice is needed. They are quick to prepare and don’t need much room in the freezer compartment to do their thing. They are also convenient when using small amounts of ice at any one time.
ICE CRUSHERS
Not strictly necessary as ice can be crushed just as reliably with a tea towel and a rolling pin!
ICE BUCKET
Great for keeping opened bottles cold or as a receptacle when many cocktails are being made.
MIXING JUG
Useful for mixing long, fruit based drinks that do not need to be shaken. They are usually mixed with a long handled spoon
STRAINER
These are used to strain drinks from cocktail shakers, when the recipe calls for the ice to be removed from the drink before serving. Failure to do this sometimes dilutes the drink too much. Not all drinks call for the crushed ice in the shaker to be removed from the drink – the recipe should tell you whether it needs to be strained or not.
CORKSCREW
Goes without saying really, there are many on the market from the simple Waiter’s Friend type with bottle opener to the hydraulic kind that guarantee cork removal in 3 seconds!
VEGETABLE KNIFE AND CHOPPING BOARD
A sharp knife and chopping board are required to slice the fruit garnishes
GRATER
Graters are required for garnishes such as nutmeg and chocolate
FRUIT REAMER
A lemon reamer is excellent for extracting as much juice from the fruit as possible. When sour cocktails ask for the juice of a lemon or lime, this wooden hand held reamer works perfectly.
ZESTER WITH CANELLE BLADE
These are invaluable for making garnishes from the rind of fruit. The zester has a row of small holes that will remove the top layer of the rind. It also has a larger hole to the side of it which will remove a thicker, longer piece of rind used to garnish cocktails such as Tuaca Surprise
WHISK
Useful for whisking up a little egg white if required in recipes. A magic whisk is pretty much all that is needed.
MELON BALLER
Useful for making garnishes for cocktail recipes that use the melon flavoured liqueur Midori
COCKTAIL STICKS AND SWIZZLE STICKS and PARASOLS
These are many and varied swizzle sticks are used for stirring long drinks in highball glasses and cocktail sticks are used for spearing fruit to decorate and garnish your drink recipes.
TYPES OF GLASSES
Cocktail Glasses
These are elegant wide rimmed glasses that is most often used for strong, sharp, short cocktails, such as:
Bombay
Caribbean Cream
Casanova
Maidens Blush
Margarita
Kingston
Parisian
Pinata
Highball Tumblers
These are used specifically for long drinks involving fruit juices and/or sparkling mixers. Examples of these are:
Sex on the Beach
Planters Punch
Old Fashioned Glasses
These are used for short shots, either with or without ice. Examples being:
Champagne Flutes
These are the classic tall stemmed narrow rimmed glasses that can be used for Champagnes and Sparkling Wines alike. Cocktails using champagne look very sophisticated in these glasses:
Large Cocktail Glasses
These are completely different to the classic large rimmed glass and they are used to serve different types of drinks. These are the glass of choice for creamy, frothy or fruity drinks such as:
Bandrek
Banana Bonanza
Caribbean Sunday
Grecian Nights
Pina Colada
Shot Glasses
Brilliant for the one shot slammer type of drinks. They are normally quite thick as they are meant to be slammed on the table after the shot is taken down in one, as in the famous:
Tequila Slammer
GARNISHES
There are many ways to garnish a cocktail – from the sophisticated slice of lime on the Margarita to the overly mad parasol with pineapple segments, melon and cherries etc on the tropical long drinks like Pina Colada.
Here are a few ideas for experimenting with your own garnishes:
Frosting
This is done by edging the rim of the glass with a substance like salt or sugar. It is very attractive and is evident in the cocktail Margarita. Other frosting ingredients that could be used are:
Lime Juice and Salt for Margaritas
Fruit Juice and Sugar for Tropical Cocktails
Grenadine and Sugar for pink rims (the sugar turns pink when dipped in grenadine)
Fruit
Citrus fruits are used extensively in cocktail making. Not only are their juices used in the mix but their skins and fruit are used to garnish.
Types of Fruit that can be used:
Lemons – Rind and Slices
Limes – Rind and Slices
Pineapple – Triangular slices are used to decorate fruity, creamy drinks like Pina Colada
Oranges – Rind and Slices (twist of orange rind is a perfect finishing touch for Tuaca Surprise
Cherries – these can be either fresh or bottled cocktail cherries
Strawberries – these can be floated on the top of a drink like champagne or sliced halfway down to adorn the side of the glass
Raspberries, Apricots and Blackberries, Banana can all be used – usually stuck on a cocktail stick to decorate the top of the glass.
Vegetables
Celery sticks go very well with tomato based drinks like Sangrita and the Mexican Bloody Maria
Mint, olives, chillies, cucumber and tomatoes can all be used.
Other garnishes include:
Black Pepper
Grated Chocolate
Grated Nutmeg
Parasols
TOP TIPS FOR THE NOVICE BARTENDER
1. When crushing ice, lay a tea towel on the table and lay the ice over half of the towel. Wrap the other half over the ice and bash the ice with a rolling pin (very therapeutic!), until crushed. Transfer from the tea towel into a bowl, glass or cocktail shaker.
2. Never shake anything fizzy as it will soon go flat!
3. A ripe melon has a deeper coloured flesh than an unripe one!
4. To make sugar syrup put 350g/12oz sugar and 570ml/1pt water into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes, removing any scum formation with a metal spoon. Remove from the heat, leave to cool and transfer to a clean, screw top bottle. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a month!
5. Remember when shaking cocktails, not to overload the shaker with any more than 3 servings at one time. The contents should be able to combine when shaken thoroughly.
6. Use small flowers or fruit in ice cubes as a decorative touch. Simply wash the flowers and place in the centre of each water filled ice compartment of the tray. When the ice forms, the flower will be encased within it. An elegant touch and a great talking point for your guests!
7. A simple fruit based cocktail should be shaken for about 15 seconds, whereas a creamy or syrupy cocktail should be shaken for 30-40 seconds to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
8. After frosting the glass, chill it in the fridge for about an hour before using.
9. When holding a cocktail party, don’t be tempted to do too many cocktails at one time – you’ll get confused and give people too many flavours to contend with! Better to choose a maximum of 3 that you know will cover most peoples tastes:
Fruity and Long – Caribbean Breezer
Creamy and Fruity – Casanova
Short and Strong – Margarita
Dry and Fizzy – Strawberry Fizz
10. Think of the season and time of year. Summer time usually calls for long,
fruity drinks with plenty of ice and soda, while the Winter months would call for warming toddies and hot punches.