In the early part of the nineteenth century, Cocktails began as a simple mix of spirits, sugar, water and bitters. But over the decades they have become far more innovative and extravagant. There are many methods of making cocktails; shaken and strained, stirred, layered, crushed, blended, flamed and even thrown (.
Some cocktail jargon and terminologies here.
Double Strain
After shaking your cocktail, ensure there are no ice fragments in it by straining it twice. A professionally made cocktail is simultaneously poured through a ‘bar strainer’ placed directly on the shaker and a ‘fine strainer’ into the glass. Two tea strainers work well if you don’t have a bar strainer. Great for a crystal clear Martini.
Muddle
To ‘muddle’ means to firmly press fruits, herbs or spices in the bottom of a glass to release their flavor. Some say you will need a professional bar "muddler" for this. A good alternative is to use the flat end of a rolling pin.
Glass Chilling
Before preparing a cocktail, simply fill the glass with ice to chill it. Discard the ice just prior to pouring the cocktail. Commonly used when preparing
a Martini.
Sugar Syrup
Dissolve sugar in boiling water using equal parts sugar and water (e.g. 1 cup of sugar dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water). Use spring or filtered water to ensure the best taste. Caster sugar dissolves easiest. Pre-mixed sugar syrup can be purchased as well, just check for preservatives.
Make a Shaker
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, a large, thick-walled jam jar is a great substitute.
Keep it Cold
Shaking a cocktail on ice for a full 20 seconds or until the cocktail shaker gets ‘iced up’ will ensure your cocktail will be super cold and provide optimal presentation and wonderful taste.
Stay tuned for fantastic cocktail recipes here.