How to rim a cocktail glass

Knowing how to properly rim a cocktail glass can add a special something to your cocktails that can have your guests asking ‘what’s your secret?’ Alright, maybe I’m over-exaggerating a little, but still, knowing how to rim the glass can make shots go down smoother and add a little kick to your cocktails.

The first thing to properly rimming a glass is how to keep the stuff on! Bars use lime juice, because it’s the easiest way. You have a choice of either buying a whole lime and cutting it into wedges, then slicing the center of the wedge and running it around the rim of the glass (BONUS: you get fancy bar garnishes!), or buying a bottle of lime juice, pouring some on a plate, and simply dipping the rim. Lime juice is cheaper in the long run, easier to use, and you can use it if you need to in your recipes.

The second thing to properly rimming the glass has to do with knowing the taste of your cocktail. Are you making something sweet? Sour? Warm and comforting? What you rim your glass with is completely up to you, but the most common spices used are salt and sugar. Let’s look at a couple of well-known cocktails to show you what I mean.

First and foremost, the Margarita. A blend of Tequila and citrus, the margarita is more often than not accompanied by a salted rim. Why it’s so yummy: Without going into the whole chemistry of things, basic table salt is an alkali, which means it neutralizes the acid of the citrus, allowing your tongue to taste more of the drink. Salt is also used on the rim of a Salty Dog, a blend of vodka and grapefruit juice, and on the rims of Bloody Mary’s (but not as much as the other two). Basic rule: Salt the rim of a sour citrus (limes and grapefruit) flavored drink.

Next we look at using sugar. Lemon drops, a mix of vodka, sugar, and fresh lemon juice, are the most common drink that use sugar on the rim. They’re popular as both shots or girly martinis. Why it’s yummy: It’s not nearly as chemically complicated as the salt, the simple fact is sugar makes the lemon juice sweeter. Since the vodka is relatively tasteless, you get the full blast of lemon. Sugar is to lemons like salt is to limes. Why not use salt if we’re talking citrus again? Lemons aren’t nearly as acidic as limes, they’re more bitter . Sugar also goes well on hard lemonade, and other fruity drinks that have lemon juice or other bitter citrus fruits, like oranges and strawberries. Basic rule: Sugar goes on the rim of bitter citrus flavored drinks.

Lastly, we take a look at warm comforting drinks, like a hard cider or eggnog. Typically only on the holidays, these drinks are accented well by a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, and sometimes even a little nutmeg (but just a pinch). Whiskey and Brandy are your alcohols of choice here, they identify well with the spicy flavor of both, which would make sense as to why you want to rim your glasses with said spices. The sugar is there simply to even out the cinnamon, and the nutmeg is to help bring out the warmth in the drink. A great recipe for this time of year calls for a shot of scotch, brandy, or whiskey (personally I liked the brandy, much smoother) and a drizzle of an apple cinnamon syrup by Monin, shaken and served cold in a martini glass rimmed with cinnamon and sugar. I’m not sure what the basic rule is here, but I think you get the idea.

So there you have it. Everything you need to know about properly rimming a cocktail glass to wow the guests at your next party. Remember, always drink responsibly.

Drink recipes: Singapore sling – Part 2

The great thing about a Singapore Sling is that its an easy drink to vary to suit your tastes or those of your friends. For what is regarded as a “classic cocktail” there certainly is a great deal of discussion as to exactly what is and isn’t required.

The facts, though, are these: the Singapore Sling was first made in the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel in Singapore sometime between 1910 and 1915. Prior to this there existed a drink known as the Singapore Strait but its not known exactly how this became famous drink we know today.

In drinking terminology, a “sling” was traditionally a long drink made with half rum and half water; the Singapore Sling is certainly a far cry from this.

The original recipe was lost which is probably the reason that opinion is so fiercely divided as to the correct ingredients. Follow this idea below and you should be fairly close; Individual ingredients can be varied or even omitted depending on your personal taste. Except the gin – that is the most important ingredient!

2 measures of dry gin

1 measure of cherry brandy or cherry liqueur (cocktail snobs usually insist on Heering Cherry Liqueur)

Half a measure of Cointreau or other orange based liqueur

Half a measure of Benedictine (this one is optional, many recipes do not include it)

A good slug of grenadine

Two and a half measures of pineapple juice

One and a half measures of freshly squeezed lemon juice

A dash of Angostura bitters

Shake the ingredients well in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a highball glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and a wedge of pineapple.

Some recipes use soda water instead of pineapple juice; connoisseurs tend to reject this as incorrect.

Enjoy!

Drink recipes: Holiday cocktails

At this time of year many of us are preparing to entertain for the holidays. Hosting a cocktail party can be an unnerving experience. It helps to have current and interesting cocktail recipe ideas to impress and delight your guests. Below are some great cocktail recipes which work well with both cocktail parties and sit down dinners.

Champagne Cocktail Recipes:

New Old-fashioned Champagne Cocktail

Give flute glass a Grand Marnier wash,

leaving 1/4 ounce of Grand Marnier in the glass

Soak 1 sugar cube in Angostura bitters

Place sugar cube in flute glass

Add 1 orange twist

Fill glass with chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Serve

The Royal Ascot

This cocktail is simple. Pour 1 ounce of Pimms

into a flute glass and top with chilled Champagne or Prosecco.

The garnish can be creative. Orange and lemon twists, cucumber twists and sprigs of mint

all work really well with the flavor of Pimms.

This a very refreshing cocktail.

Berry Bubbles

1/2 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce Chambord or raspberry liqueur

1 ounce cranberry juice

Shake well

Pour into chilled martini glass

Top up with Chilled Champagne or Prosecco

Garnish with fresh cranberries

Other Cocktail Recipes:

Namaste

1 ounce vanilla vodka

1 ounce sweetened, chilled Chai tea

1 ounce orange juice

Shake well.

Pour into chilled martini glass.

Garnish with orange wheel and cinnamon stick.

Pom/Cran Mojito

1 1/2 ounces amber rum

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

1 ounce pomegranate juice

1 ounce cranberry juice

2-3 sprigs fresh mint

2 lime wedges

Muddle together mint, lime wedges, fresh lime juice,

simple syrup, pomegranate and cranberry juices.

Fill tall glass half way with ice.

Pour amber rum onto ice.

Pour muddled mixture into glass.

Top with soda water.

Garnish with sprigs of mint, lime wheels, and/or

pomegranate and cranberry skewers.

After Dinner Mint

1 ounce chilled espresso(or other strong coffee)

1 ounce Creme DE Cacao

1 ounce mint liqueur

2 ounces cream or milk

Shake Well.

Pour into chilled martini glass.

Garnish with chocolate mints,and/or sprigs of mint,

espresso beans.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays and please

drink responsibly!

Drink recipes: Halloween cocktails

A simple way to serve great Halloween cocktails is to reinvent cocktails that are ordered every day. Choose cocktails that have dark colors or unusual colors that people are just not used to eating or drinking. Remember, while the taste of the cocktail is important, the garnish is just as important. Hot apple cider tastes great but it looks like muddy water which makes it a great choice for a Halloween beverage. Imagination is the key when it comes to a great Halloween drink and garnish. Below are some recipes for cocktails, punches and non-alcoholic beverages for Halloween, along with some suggestions for Halloween garnishes.

Cocktail recipes for Halloween:

Smashing Pumpkin

This is great served in one of those mini-pumpkins that has been scooped out or with cinnamon sugar on the rim of the glass. You could also serve it with whipped cream on the top and sprinkle it lightly with some powdered cinnamon.

1/3 oz. of Kahlua

1/3 oz. of Bailey’s Irish Cream

1/3 oz. Cinnamon Schnapps

Mix in a shaker with ice and strain into a serving glass.

Graveyard

This drink has always been made with red Tabasco sauce, but that was before Tabasco made a green sauce, give it a try too! Garnish with a skeleton straw and a spiraled lime zest or to make it particularly evil, garnish with a slice of jalapeno pepper.

1 oz. Tabasco sauce

1 oz of Tequila

Lemon-lime soda

Fill a serving glass with ice and add the Tabasco and tequila. Fill the rest of the glass with lemon lime soda and stir.

Brain Hemorrhage

This drink needs no garnish; it is a little creepy all on its own. If you don’t drink it in one shot, they say it has the texture of snot. Of course, one can only guess how that is known, but it really does look like a little brain floating in the shot glass.

Peach Schnapps

Bailey’s Irish Cream

Grenadine

Eyedropper

Fill a shot glass 2/3 full with peach schnapps, then slowly off the back of a spoon, pour about a teaspoon of Baileys (Brain). Drip 1-2 drops of grenadine on top (Hemorrhage). Yum Yum. Drink up!

Crime and Punishment

You know what they say: “if you can do the time, don’t do the crime.” Whatever the crime, the punishment for this drink sneaks up on you.

1 part Scotch

1 part Apple Brandy

2 parts Gin

Shake with ice and strain into glass.

A Blood Transfuser

The grape juice keeps the bourbon plasma blue.

1 part grape juice

1 part bourbon

Stir with ice and strain.

Blood and Sand

It has been reported that this cocktail got it’s name from the 1922 movie Blood

Cocktail recipes: Vodka mules

An aptly named cocktail, the vodka mule. After a few of these you really do feel as if you’ve been kicked in the head… by a mule! It’s a fantastic drink, all the same, and is best enjoyed before dinner or before a night out. This is one cocktail I find better suited to cooler weather and makes a perfect ‘winter warmer’.

If you want a completely different taste sensation for those cooler nights, try warming the vodka gently by putting the bottle in a container of boiling water for a few minutes. Don’t leave it in there for too long or you risk the alcohol evaporating and we wouldn’t want that!

I have experimented substituting the lime juice and wedge with an orange and, on another occasion, a lemon. With each substitute this drink tastes different and if you like your specific cocktail but enjoy a variety too, this drink will offer that. Personally, my favourite combination of the ‘winter’ vodka mule is with orange juice (freshly squeezed, of course) and an orange wedge to garnish.

For the summer version, I use a lime and fill the glass completely with crushed ice.

The ingredients for your winter vodka mule go something like this:

One part warmed vodka

Dash orange juice

Ginger Beer

Orange wedge

Pinch of crushed ginger

Ice cubes

To put it all together you want to start with a warmed high ball glass and fill a 1/3 of it with ice cubes. Then add the vodka over the ice and add a dash of freshly squeezed orange juice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with the orange wedge. To finish, drop a pinch of ginger on the top and voila! A ‘winter’ vodka mule.

To put together the summer version, try this:

One part chilled vodka

Dash lime/lemon juice

Ginger Beer

Lime or lemon wedge

Crushed ice

Fill your chilled high ball glass with crushed ice and pour the vodka over the ice. Add a dash or lime or lemon juice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime or lemon wedge and enjoy!

A personal tip: Try not to sip too much vodka while making this drink, ditto the ginger beer, as you may well run the risk of not having enough of either ingredient to finish the cocktail. And we definitely don’t want that.

Christmas 2007: Hottest new cocktail recipe books

“Hey baby! How about a Velvet Kiss or even better I think I’d like a Kiss in the Dark.”

Now at a first glance these may sound like cheesy come-ons at a party, but this guest might be simply ordering up a special drink. If you make one of these cocktail books from 2007 a gift for Christmas, there will be no mistake. With one glance at the recipe book, the reply can be “Coming right up!”

1) The Craft of the Cocktail Deck: Artful Tips and Delicious Recipes for Serving Masterful Cocktails by Dale Degroff is really useful. The unique aspect of this item is that it actually isn’t a book. It is set up like a deck of cards with tabbed sections for martinis, frozen cocktails and more. This would be really handy to have behind the bar and wouldn’t require taking out a large book to know the recipe. It also gives useful tips for preparing, mixing and serving. This would make a fantastic stocking stuffer or small gift. It does only give 50 recipes though, but for a quick reference it can’t be beat.

2) Everything Bartender’s Book by Cheryl Charming is a cocktail book with an unbelievable amount of recipes. More than 700 recipes grace its pages so this may not be a quick reference book, instead covering all the basics. It even has suggestions for dealing with unruly drinkers, bar tricks and jokes, as well as recommended glassware. This is a very practical and comprehensive book for the cocktail enthusiast.

3) In the Land of Cocktails: Recipes and Adventures from the Cocktail Chicks by Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan is not just a cocktail recipe book. This book contains an entertaining memoir as well as the recipes for famed drinks such as Whoa Nellie! and Corpse Reviver. Of course there are recipes for drinks such as an Old Fashioned as well.

4) Food and Wine Cocktails 2007 by Dana Cowin and Kate Heddings represents 150 cocktails with each chapter representing a different type of alcohol. This is the book that really has the combinations that bartenders are asked for and it even comes with a waterproof jacket so it is ready for the bar scene.

5) The Backyard Bartender: 55 Cool Summer Cocktails by Nicole Aloni would be a great gift for someone who likes backyard entertaining. The recipes integrate fresh summer ingredients to make unique and refreshing summer beverages such as the Spicy Ginger Bluch Martini.

6) The Martini Book: 201 Ways to Mix the Perfect American Cocktail by Sally Ann Beck is perfect for the martini lover. There are recipes for

Drink recipes: Salty dog

The Salty Dog recipe is categorized as a highball cocktail. It is the combination of either gin or vodka and grapefruit juice over ice. The vodka version of the Salty Dog is an official cocktail recipe of the International Bartenders Association.

The ingredients for a Salty Dog are as follows:

1 1/2 ounces (either 1 shot or 6 counts) of Gin or Vodka

5 oz Grapefruit Juice

Salt

Ice

The Salty Dog is traditionally served in either a Collins glass or a Rocks glass. A Collins glass typically holds 8 fluid ounces. A Rocks glass holds between 5 and 10 fluid ounces.

Always ask your customer if she would prefer vodka or gin in her drink prior to mixing this recipe. Wet the rim of the glass and dip it in salt. Fill the glass with ice and set it aside. Combine the ice, liquor, and grapefruit juice in a martini tumbler. Shake the tumbler until you feel it turning cold in your hand. Then strain the mixture in to the glass of ice. You can garnish The Salty Dog with any citrus fruit or cherries.

There are several variations to this cocktail recipe. Some people know this drink as “The Greyhound”. That usually means that they want the drink made with vodka and that they don’t want salt on the rim. Some customers will specify a brand of vodka when ordering a Greyhound by saying something like “I would like an Absolut Greyhound” or “A Grey Goose Greyhound.” Others will order a “Cherry Greyhound”, which refers to the flavor of vodka you will be using to make their drinks.

If your customer requests “An Italian Greyhound” that means you should add half a shot of Campari Bitters to the tumbler. A “Fuzzy Greyhound” has 1/2 a shot of peach schnapps and club soda added to the tumbler mixture. A “Racing Greyhound” is mixed in the tumbler with at least half a can of Red Bull energy drink.

Other will order this drink as “The Salty Chihuahua.” This means that the customer would like tequila used instead of gin or vodka when you mix up her drink.

When you add Midori Melon Liqueur to any drink, you are giving the recipe “Balls.” Therefore, if a customer orders a “Salty Balls” from you that means you will add a shot of Midori Melon to the tumbler. Some bartenders also add orange juice to this recipe.

If your customer orders “a vodka and grapefruit juice” or “gin and grapefruit juice” ask her if she wants salt or sugar on the glass’s rim. You should also ask her if she wants her drink “on the rocks” or “straight up”, meaning with or without ice respectively. I have also had customers request that I serve their Salty Dogs in chilled martini or wine glasses with sugared rims. Do not put ice cubes in a martini or wine glass; it causes them to tip over.

The Salty Dog cocktail is an important recipe for bartenders to know. Always serve it responsibly.

Cocktail recipes: Vodka mules – Part 1

The most basic and well renowned Vodka mule, would be the Moscow mule, It also has been known to go by the aliases “Horses Neck” and “Mamie Taylor”. Believed to be first mixed in the 1940’s, The Ginger beer and Vodka mixture it is traditionally served in a copper cup, very strange most likely a marketing gimmick of the day. However the tradition has carried on. It has been noted that the copper mugs have been labeled “Mule Mugs”, many bars still serve there beverages in these “Mule Mugs” today.The Drinks popularity in the 1900’s is believed to be attributed to the fact that it was such a simple drink to make, from the ingredients to the mixing, just about anyone could enjoy this cool, easy to drink easy to make beverage. One interesting twist of note is in fact a twist. Some bars were known to garnish the Moscow Mule with a cucumber instead of a twist of lemon or lime. This was almost defiantly just a way to be different, nonetheless it still has made it into cocktail history today. Even now some people still garnish the Moscow Mule with a cucumber.

Here is the recipe below, with some other variances. Chill this drink for a refreshing afternoon libation, definitely worth a try!

2 shots Smirnoff Vodka.

juice from 1/2 a fresh lime.

Ginger Beer (to taste).

-

1 1/2oz vodka

4 to 5oz ginger beer

Lime wedge, for garnish

Serve in an iced glass

-

2 oz vodka (60ml)

3 oz ginger beer (90ml)

2 lime wedges, for garnish

Serve in a copper mug

Drink recipes: Three wise men

The Three Wise Men is a drink that is slowly making it’s way up the cocktail ladder, though I personally think it’s better as a shot than an actual cocktail. It’s more of an ‘order-at-the-bar’ drink than a ‘make-at-home’ drink; small bottles of each can run you about $40 and up, plus it’s not the most sophisticated of drinks, suitable for frat parties and the like. If you’re not used to whiskey or if you like to appreciate your alcohol, this probably isn’t the drink for you, and should be avoided. In my opinion, this is one of those party shots that people do to get drunk, much like tequila or other mixed shots.

There isn’t much to say about the recipe, it’s a pretty straight forward, no substitutions accepted recipe, but there are a few tricks to making it that can either make it a tasty treat or a suffering experience.

First, the actual recipe:

In equal parts, mix Jim Beam bourbon whiskey, Jack Daniels bourbon whiskey, and Johnny Walker Black Label blended scotch whiskey (Red will do if it’s all you have or prefer to save a few extra bucks) in a cocktail shaker; a splash of each should be enough for one person. If you own a jigger, it’s half the small side of each, for one person, or the whole small side for two. Add ice, shake, and strain into a shot glass for a shot or a chilled martini glass for a cocktail.

Which leads us to the first trick: Ice. Chilling it will take some of the bite out of the whiskey and scotch, and leave you with the sweet sensation. I’ve seen a couple people take the shot warm, trust me, not something you want to do. When at the bar, just remember to ask for it chilled, just in case the bartender isn’t familiar with it.

The second trick: Scotch is a little more bitter than whiskey, so if you lighten the Johnny Walker pour just a little, it may help sweeten the taste. Once again, when you’re at the bar, ask the bartender to go ‘a little light on the Johnny’ if you prefer the sweeter taste.

Like I said before, there’s not much to say about the recipe, it’s straightforward, easy to make, and simple to remember. All you have to do is think: Jim, Jack, and Johnny. Experimenting at home is always a good way to perfect your recipes for when you go out.

Always drink responsibly.

Where to find recipes for good Martini cocktails – Part 1

there are a very wide range of martini cocktails, ranging from vodka martinis, to apple martinis. the best places to look are in books that have been published specifically for this kind of thing or on the various internet pages available online.

here are some examples…

for a vodka martini;

2 oz. Vodka, 1/2 oz. Vermouth*

Shake or Stir over ice & Serve on the rocks or Strain into a chilled Cocktail glass, Garnish with a spear of Olives, *For a Dry Martini, omit vermouth & Garnish with a Twist

for an apple martini;

Ingredients: 1 Part Vodka

1 Part Apple Liqueur

Directions:

Shake over ice, and strain into chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with a table salted rim, a small cheese wedge, or a freshly sliced apple slice.

Note:

Apple Puckers will also work in place of Graf’s Apfel Sauer

and here is a simple, yet perfect one for the good start for a night out;

2 oz. Gin, Dash of Triple Sec

Shake with ice, Pour into a Lowball glass

enjoy these recipes, i have many more if you are interested…

other wise, visit these great sites as they have most of the main recipes and some that i have never even heard of…

http://cocktails.about.com/lib rary/recipes/blmartinimenu.htm

http://www.worldfamousrecipes. com/martini-recipes.html

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