Cocktail tips
Like cooking, mixing cocktails isn’t particularly hard, but it does require attention to detail. Use the tips provided below to make a great cocktail time and again.
1. Cocktail recipe
Always read a cocktail recipe to the end before you begin, so that there won’t be any surprises along the way.
2. Measurements
All recipes use ‘shots’ as a measurement, so that you can immediately compare the ratios of each ingredient to the others. This is essential in understanding the recipe. In fact, a ‘shot’ can be any desired quantity. Makes sure you stick to the ratios mentioned in the recipe and the cocktail will always taste the same. We use the traditional measurement of 1 shot = 30 ml.
3. Juices
ALWAYS use freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice. There’s just no alternative. Roll the fruit before squeezing to maximize the amount of juice and don’t forget to double squeeze cocktails with fresh juice, or you will never get the pulp off your glass.
4. ICE
Use good quality ice cubes. They need to be big, cold, solid and dry and be kept in a contained that can be emptied, so that the melt water can be drained. The more ice you use, the less it will melt! Crushed ice is ice that has crushed with a crusher or by placing the ice in a tea towel and hitting it with a big spoon or the bottom of a steel pan.
5. Prechilled glasses
Fill a glass with ice cubes and water and leave it while you fix the drink. Remove the ice and water before pouring the cocktail into the glass. You can also put the glass in the fridge for an hour, or in the freezer for half an hour, to prechill it.
6. Thick sugar syrup (2:1)
To make thick sugar syrup, you completely dissolve 2 cups of white sugar in 1 cup of hot water. Sieve the syrup twice and keep it covered in the fridge. It will keep forever.
WANT TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE COCKTAILS YOURSELF?
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