As a home cook, you may have seen scenes in movies where bartenders expertly mix drinks in a shaker and garnish them with ice, berries, and fruits. If you want to impress your guests with your own bartending skills, you can easily recreate these techniques at home with the right tools.
Shaker
One of the most important tools for making cocktails is a shaker. With a shaker, you can achieve the desired consistency and temperature of your drink. The shaker not only mixes the ingredients but also shakes them, creating a uniform and airy texture. Additionally, if you add crushed ice along with the ingredients, you can use the shaker to cool the cocktail.
A shaker typically consists of a container, a filter, and a lid. The container can be made of glass or metal, and it should be large enough to hold at least two servings. For comfort, it’s best to choose a shaker that fits well in your hand, such as a steel shaker with a non-slip lining on the body. The shaker should also be durable and heat-resistant.
When choosing a shaker, look for one that resembles a thermos in design, as it will help to maintain the temperature of all the ingredients throughout the mixing process. With a good quality shaker, you’ll be able to make impressive cocktails for your guests in no time.
Measuring spoon and cup
When making cocktails at home, it’s important to get the proportions of the ingredients right. You can do this easily by using measuring devices like a spoon and a cup. A measuring spoon with a long handle is perfect for measuring small amounts of ingredients and for crushing fruit, berries, and mint leaves at the bottom. This spoon is also ideal for creating layered cocktails. The measuring cup, usually made of stainless steel, is designed to measure doses of about 50 ml and is often provided with a shaker. Using these measuring tools will help you get your cocktail recipes just right.Theoretically, at home, the proportions can be freely varied at your discretion. But in the case of cocktails, where 1 or more spirits are included, it is still better to be accurate. This will help special measuring devices – a spoon and a glass. The bartender’s measuring spoon has a long handle – about 15 cm – and helps to measure the minimum doses. In addition, it is very convenient to crush pieces of fruit and berries at the bottom (as well as mint leaves, as is the case with mojitos), mixing them with sugar and other ingredients. This spoon is essential if you want to master the art of making beautiful layered cocktails.
The measuring cup is usually supplied with the shaker and is designed to measure doses of about 50 ml. As a rule, it is made of stainless steel.
Tools
As a cook, you’ll need certain tools to make fruit-based cocktails. The most important one is a cocktail blender, which can blend fruits into a smooth and even mixture in just a few seconds. You can then filter the mixture using a strainer to remove unwanted seeds and films. Blending the ingredients with a blender also makes the cocktail more airy and frothy. At home, you can use a regular blender to make fruit-based cocktails, including crushed ice, but a shaker should only be used for small amounts of liquid ingredients.
Some professionals also use mini-blenders or ice mills for specific tasks. However, it’s important to note that effervescent drinks should never be blended in a blender, and instead require a special stirrer. With the right tools, you can make delicious fruit-based cocktails in the comfort of your own home.
To prepare fruit-based cocktails, a cocktail blender is indispensable. With it, you can achieve a homogeneous mass in a matter of seconds, which can then be filtered through a filter or strainer to get rid of seeds and films. In addition, the blender whips the contents, giving it a more airy structure. In fact, at home, fruit-based cocktails can also be prepared in a blender, whipping all the ingredients in it, including crushed ice. A shaker should only be used when you need to mix a small amount of liquid ingredients.
Often professionals also use special mini-blenders or ice mills. In no case should effervescent drinks be whipped in blenders – a special stirrer is used for this purpose.
Optional accessories
If you want to add some extra touches to your cocktails, there are a few optional accessories you can consider using. For instance, to get zest from citrus fruits, you can use a small grater or a vegetable peeler. Thin strips of zest can be used to add both flavor and decoration to your cocktails. Special straws and umbrellas are also great for decoration, and straws can also be useful for filtering out excess ice, fruit pulp, or stirring cocktails that contain heavier sediment. You can also get ice molds in fun figures to make your cocktails even more fun. There are also a variety of glasses designed for each type of drink, which can add to the overall experience of your cocktail. Before serving your chilled cocktails, it is recommended to hold the glasses in the freezer for several minutes and wipe them dry. For cocktails that include tequila, the rim of the glass can be dipped in salt, while fruit cocktails can have the rim dipped in brown or powdered sugar. Overall, these optional accessories can make a big difference in the overall presentation and taste of your cocktails.
