How to Make a Cocktail: The Steps
The sequence of steps to follow when making a cocktail can be described in the following order:
Be sure to read the cocktail recipe carefully to ensure that you are familiar with the process and include all the necessary ingredients.
Ensure you have a large amount of ice and all the cocktail ingredients are in your kitchen.
Choose the appropriate cocktail glass (ideally chilled).
Make the garnish for your cocktail.
Measure and then pour the ingredients into a mixed glass.
Pour ice into the mixing glass or shaker for cocktails.
Combine the components (build, shake, stir, mix, etc.).
Dissolve (or strain) the ingredients into the glass serving for cocktails (with the addition of ice, if needed).
Place the garnish on the glass serving you to complete your cocktail.
The last step is to serve and enjoy!
If you use high-quality ingredients and don’t take shortcuts or substitute ingredients, your drink will turn out flawlessly.
Getting the Ice Right
You’ll likely be shocked by how much ice you’ll require to make home drinks. You’ll get a surprise when hosting an event for a party. You should never use ice more than once and use fresh ice for every step of mixing, shaking, and serving your drink – even if you’re using identical ingredients.
Good Ice
Good cocktail ice is a complex, dry, and solid-liquid that melts slowly, the kind your fingers can stick to easily. The lousy ice for cocktails can be easy to chip, feels damp, and rapidly melts in your hands. What is the reason for this? Insufficient ice, or ice that has been repeatedly used, will reduce the strength of your drink in the mixing and after consumption, which makes the drinking experience less enjoyable.
Bagged Ice
The bagged ice is accessible in most supermarkets and is the most convenient way to quickly get lots of ice on shelves. If you are buying ice, look for brands with thick, solid cubes, not hollow tubes or crushed ice. Crushed ice is always made using an ice crusher or putting ice in a large plastic freezer bag and then bashing lightly with an ice rolling pin or tenderizer.
Preparing Ice at Home
If you’re making ice to serve drinks at home, select two ice trays that produce large, chunky ice cubes rather than the more minor or gimmicky kinds of available ice cubes. It’s also a good idea to keep a freezer storage container or Tupperware where you can place ice cubes from the tray. This allows you to create a greater quantity of ice cubes which can be sucked out when making a a cocktail. If you’re not lucky and the water coming from the tap at home is stained little by chlorine, you can try using bottled water for making your Ice.
When serving cocktails, be generous and add ice to the glass instead of just the smallest amount of cubes.
A good amount of ice can ensure that the drink stays cooler. Also, the Ice will last longer, which means there is less discoloration of the cocktail in the course of drinking over time, which makes for a more enjoyable overall drinking experience.
Chilling Cocktail Glassware
Drinks that are served cold benefit from doing it in chilled glasses. You can undoubtedly add more Ice. However, chilled glassware will keep your drink chilled for longer without diluted ingredients. The ideal glassware should be refrigerated for up to half an an hour inside a frozen container before serving. This is especially important in cocktails served without ice inside a martini, flute, or coupette glass, like the Martini and the Manhattan cocktail.
While chilling glasses in a freezer is the the most efficient method, not everyone can afford a freezer large enough to allow them to relax their glassware in advance or wait up to an hour until their drink cools. An alternative is filling the glass with ice and adding water before making your drinks. The glass is then able to chill while you are making your drink. Just remember to take out the ice and water before pouring!
Warming Cocktail Glassware
To warm a glass, place an empty bar spoon into it, then fill it with hot water. Remove the water and pour it into the drink. Then, remove the spoon, which helps disperse shocks from the heat.
Preparing the Cocktail Garnish
It is crucial to prepare your garnish before mixing ingredients with ice so that you can complete and serve the drink as quickly as you can after mixing your glass to ensure that the glass isn’t diminished when the ice melts as you rush to prepare your garnish.
The garnish is a crucial component of a well-made and designed cocktail. Therefore, there are several aspects to consider when making your garnishes.
When selecting garnishes for your fruit, choose juicy pieces with no imperfections, as these will be evident when the drink is consumed.
If you cut your garnish into wedges or slices, Use a sharp knife to ensure you can get an accurate and clean cut and cut it to size suitable for glass, considering the flavor you would like to impart on your cocktail. It is possible to store soft fruit in the fridge so that they are harder to slice and more firm. Remember to scrape away seeds using the edge of the knife.
Some garnishes are not meant to be placed in the drink. Specific cocktail garnishes are intended to be placed on the rim of the glass so that the scent of the ingredient is absorbed while drinking the drink, which enhances the experience.
When making twists of citrus peel, make sure you use an a paring knife rather than peelers – this gives you more ability to control the amount and thickness of the peel. It also allows you to be a bit more creative with your garnishes. It is a simple way to add personal taste to your cocktails.
