Shaken or Stirred

SHAKEN Stirredor

Some of the recipes in this book may seem complicated, however the process is very simple for any at-homee bartender, and these steps will make it as easy as possible for you. Before you have a go yourself, have a read through and familiarise yourself withy the fundamental steps of cocktail making.

CHILL

A fundamental step in cocktail making, great restaurants serve their hot meals on warm plates, and cool cocktails should be served in chilled glassware. You can use a freezer or fridge, however the quickest way is to fill the glassware with crushed or cracked ice and water. Make this simple step the first thing you do, and by the time you have mixed, muddled or shaken your creation the glass will be at the perfect te mperature and your cocktails will stay crisp and cool for longer. Before pouring the drink, you must empty the glass of the ice and water into a sink, and then shake vigorously to rid it of any remaining drops of water.

MUDDLE

Muddling in a mixing glass is essentially the same as chefs using a mortar and pestle, you are crushing the ingredients to extract the freshest flavours and juices. For soft fruits like berries, the muddling technique itself involves pushing down and twisting until you have a puree. For citrus fruits, just muddle enough to extract the juice; over muddle and you introduce bitterness from the oils in the skin. For herbs (mint, coriander, basil, etc.) gently press them a few times with your muddler or with the flat disk on a bar spoon.

MEASURE

Measuring ingredients is exceptionally important in recreating cocktails, and it’s easy if you have a jigger or measuring cup. Simply pour the ingredient into the measure (over the mixing glass) then add to the mix. Don’t let mls, cls, or liquid ounces confuse you. Great drinks can still be made without a measure just make sure the ratios are correct and you can use anything - an egg cup, shot glass, bottle caps etc. Some ingredients, like bitters, are intense and only a dash is required.

SHAKE

Shaking correctly is imperative to mix, dilute, chill, aerate and in some case emulsify cocktails. Whether you use a cobbler shaker with a built-in strainer, a Boston or a jam jar (yes it’s possible) the rules are the same. Add all your ingredients, fill the shaker with hard, cold ice. Seal the lid. Hold the shaker with both hands and shake it. SHAKE IT, really shake it. The shake motion is not a rocking motion or a maraca. The ice has to travel from one end of the shaker to the other and crash into the end of the shaker. This forces the liquids through the ice and chills them super-fast. 10 - 15 seconds is a good guideline. For drinks that include egg whites or cream you may need longer.

By now the outside of the shaker should have pearls of condensation covering it and your cocktail will be ready to strain.

DRY SHAKE

Some cocktail recipes will require a dry shake prior to the regular shake. In a dry shake, an egg is added to the shaker in place of the ice. This is to ensure the ingredients properly emulsify and generate a frothy or foamy texture that will form on top of the cocktail. If required, ice is then added to the shaker and a standard shake is performed.

STRAIN

Straining holds back the broken and used ice while you pour your drink. Simply place the strainer firmly onto the mouth of the metal tin (or jam jar), place your index finger over the top of the strainer to hold it in place, then wrap your hand around the tin and pour the drink through the strainer into a chilled glass.

FINE STRAIN

Cocktails that contain flecks of herbs or pulpy fruits after muddling or shaking can create an unwelcome texture using only a regular strainer. For a silky-smooth cocktail, while also preventing embarrassing moments of torn leaves on teeth, simply pour the cocktail from the shaker with the regular strainer through a fine mesh strainer (tea strainer) held over the chilled glass

STIR

Stirring is a technique for chilling and mixing a cocktail without the extra dilution you get when shaking. Stirring is traditionally used to make drinks that contain just alcoholic ingredients, and the desired texture is silky with a weighty flavour. Add your ingredients to a mixing glass, add cold hard ice cubes to the top, grab your long-handled bar spoon and place the outside of the spoon end against the inside of the mixing glass, and carefully slide it to xthe bottom. Keeping the spoon completely upright gently stir the drink, clockwise or anticlockwise, so that the ice and booze rotate as one. At all times attempt to prevent jagging or breaking up the ice. Stir time will depend on the ice used, the room temperature and your technique. When condensation builds up on the outside of the mixing glass, you are ready to strain into the awaiting chilled glass.

THROW

The throwing technique is a very flashy way of aerating and chilling a drink. It is unusual to see it being used in many bars today, however when honed can be very impressive, and eventually you can “throw” a stream of liquid a metre in length. To throw, first build the drink with ice in a mixing glass, using a strainer to hold the ice back pour the contents into an empty shaker tin. As you pour from one to the other, steadily increase the distance between the two by raising the ice filled glass, whilst lowering the shaker tin. Keeping the shaker tin slightly tilted will prevent splashing. When you’re left with just ice in the mixing glass, simply pour the cocktail mix from the shaker tin back into the mixing glass and repeat the process three to four more times. When your drink is suitably chilled and aerated simply pour into a chilled glass and serve.

ROLL

This is the most gentle of the mixing techniques, and is used when it is important not to over mix a drink. It is most commonly used to mix the Bloody Mary because tomato juice loses its thickness and becomes thin when agitated. To roll a drink, hold your filled shaker tin next to an empty one. Then pour the contents back and forth between the two shaker tins a few times, keeping the shaker tins close together.

RIM

A great way of adding texture and complementary flavours to a cocktail is to coat the rim of the glass, where one sips from, with salt, sugar, or any kind of coating, fine chocolate or cinnamon for example. Fill a shallow saucer with the crystals or powder of your choice, and run a slice of orange or lemon around the outside of the rim of the glass. The whole perimeter of the glass should be moist. To prevent the rimming ingredient getting in the drink, roll the outside of the glass in the saucer until the rim is coated and then, holding the glass upside down, gently tap the base; any loose particles will not stay inside the glass.

BUILD

Building is the quickest and easiest way to make a cocktail. These are normally drinks that do not need extra chilling or dilution and the ingredients mix easily. The quintessential built drinks are spirits and mixers, i.e. gin and tonic, vodka and cranberry juice. To build a drink, simply grab the glass (usually a highball or Collins glass) and fill it with ice then add the ingredients in order. It is important to add as much ice to the glass as possible; more ice means less dilution and the cocktail will be nice and cold. The ratios are roughly one part alcoholic ingredients to three or four parts mixer. You may need to give the ingredients a quick stir with your bar spoon.

LAYER

Sipping hot Irish coffee through a layer of fresh cold cream is a taste sensation. The trick to layering is to turn a spoon upside down, place it inside the edge of the glass and lower it slowly down the inside, very gently break the surface tension of the liquid and then raise the spoon slightly. Pour the layer as slowly as possible over the back of the spoon, moving the spoon up as the level rises. Repeat the process with as many layers as you require. When creating layered shots, it’s imperative to know the specific gravity of each spirit or liqueur you’re working with, and pour them in order from heaviest to lightest.

GARNISH

It’s a well-known fact that we eat with our eyes first, obviously that’s mechanically impossible, however when a meal or drink looks tasty, it stimulates our senses and our body prepares itself for a taste sensation. Garnishing is a huge part of this, and therefore it’s important that the garnish is relevant and complementary to the ingredients. For example, the flamed orange zest on a Cosmopolitan works because the orange oils enhance the orange flavour from the Cointreau.

Almost any fresh fruit, vegetable, berry, herb or spice can be used as a garnish. Fresh fruits and berries provide lots of contrasting colour and taste great. Vegetables are great savoury additions, like a stick of celery in a Bloody Mary. Herbs and spices add aroma, think mint sprigs on Juleps or grated nutmeg on an Alexander. Of course olives, cocktail onions and maraschino cherries are classic cocktail garnishes, and bartenderlore says always garnish with odd numbers. It is crucial to use only the freshest and highest-quality fruits vegetables and herbs. Prepare your garnish just before you make your drinks, and make sure the garnish compliments the drink.

FLAME

Some drinks require the zest to be flamed, this is essentially the same as a twist, except you’re squeezing the oils through a flame to ignite them. Using a match or lighter, hold the flame next to the glass in one hand, then with the zest held between your thumb and forefingers of your other hand, place the zest next to the flame and then squeeze the zest quickly so that the oils shoot out of the skin and through the flame and ignite. Then add the zest to the drink.

ZEST TWIST

The strips of fruit peel that release the essential citrus oils from the lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit peel onto the surface of the drink, adding aroma and flavour to a cocktail.

With a sharp knife, cut a strip of skin from the fruit, leaving a little of the white inner pith for sturdiness. You can trim the edges of the zest to smarten it up. Then hold the twist over the cocktail with the coloured side pointing toward the surface of the drink. Hold the twist between your thumb and forefingers. Turn one end clockwise and the other anticlockwise. The oils will be released and will fall onto the top of the drink. Now rub the coloured side of the twist around the rim of the glass so that any remaining oils adhere to the rim of the glass, and drop the twist into the drink.

Some drinks require the zest to be flamed, this is essentially the same as a twist, except you’re squeezing the oils through a flame to ignite them. Using a match or lighter hold the flame next to the glass in one hand, then with the zest held between your thumb and forefingers of your other hand, place the zest next to the flame and squeeze the zest quickly so that the oils shoot out of the skin through the flame and ignite. Then add the zest to the drink.