The best way to achieve smooth, creamy drinks using a blender is to begin with crushed ice. If you don't have it on hand, you can make it before you prepare drinks by adding ice a few cubes at a time to the blender along with a small amount of water. Store the crushed ice in the freezer until needed.
The easiest way to chill glasses is to keep them in the refrigerator, but this is not always possible. Some bartenders keep glasses in clean ice in a special area of the bar. You can chill glasses at home by filling them with crushed ice and removing the ice just before filling the glasses.
Ready made coconut cream can be purchased; however, most varieties are too sour for cocktails. Coconut cream can be purchased especially for use with cocktails. If you manage to find a good variety, then this will be fine to use, many though are too sweet and expensive.
Many cocktail bars make their own coconut cream. Chill a block of pure creamed coconut, then grate into a saucepan. Add an equal or slightly smaller amount of caster sugar, then just enough hot water to melt the sugar and coconut. Stir the ingredients until you have a smooth paste. When cooled, this paste can be used in any recipe; however, this can not be made in advance and should be used the same day.
Crushed ice can be easy made at home with a blender. Be sure to break down large ice cubes with a hammer first as these may damage a home blender, this can be avoided by obtaining a commercial blender, which will cope with whole ice cubes.
If the intention is to make a frozen cocktail, then once some of the ice has broken down add the ingredients whilst the blender is working, do not blend excessively, remember the consistency that is required is that of a thick milkshake.
If crushed ice is to be used in a shaker, crush the ice on a need-to-use basis, remember, crushed ice melts very quickly.
Tap water should never be used for making ice. It contains minerals that when frozen will be visible, this is especially true in hard water areas.The best solution is to buy purified drinking water. This is not standard bottled water and hence will cost slightly more. It can be obtained from many chemists or local drug stores and will greatly improve the look of any cocktails, especially those of the clear variety.
When attempting to ignite a drink, ensure that the topmost layer is a spirit of at least 40% alcohol (US 80% proof) and is near the rim of the glass. Above the drink, heat up a barspoon full of the same spirit with a lighter. When hot ignite the spoonful of spirit, and then gently pour this on to the drink.
Do not allow the cocktail to burn for more than a few moments or your guest may burn their lips on the hot glass, or the glass might crack.
Some drinks, often those which call for a variety of colorful liqueurs, need to be poured very carefully so that the ingredients do not become mixed. This trick is easy to accomplish using a spoon. Turn the spoon in your hand so that you are pouring the liquid over the rounded surface of the back of the spoon and into the glass. Pour in the heaviest of the ingredients first, following the drink recipe carefully. In this way you can create beautiful drinks with distinct layers of color.
To make a lemon or lime twist, you can use a special garnishing tool, or simply use a small sharp paring knife to remove a thin strip of the fruit's skin. Avoid the white pith inside the skin, which has a bitter taste.
This useful tool is usually made of a very smooth surface, such as marble, and is used to crush herbs and spices. Place the herb in the deepest part of the bowl, then crush, using a circular pressing motion. This process releases the full flavor of spices such as cloves or fresh herbs, such as mint.
To create salt-frosted glasses for serving Margaritas, rub the rim of the glass with a lime slice then sip into a shallow bowl of salt.
To create a sugar-frosted coffee glass for serving Irish Coffee, rub the rim of the glass with a lemon slice then dip into a shallow bowl of fine or powdered sugar.
When a drink calls for a twist of lemon, rub the lemon twist around the rim of the glass in which the drink will be served. This releases the aromatic oils of the fruit and the full flavor. Finish by placing the twist in the glass.
Add the required amount of crushed ice into a shaker along with the ingredients, quickly shake and pour into the glass. A tip is to use the amount of ice that will three-quarters fill the glass, then 'shake & pour', this technique will help to ensure that when some of the ice melts, the cocktail should still fit in the glass.
Half fill a shaker with whole ice cubes, add the ingredients and shake until the exterior of the shaker is ice cold. The drink should be immediately through the built in strainer, or a Hawthorn strainer if the shaker doesn't have a one built in. Remember that the volume of liquid will increase due to the ice melting whilst shaking, therefore only shake for the minimum time necessary to chill & mix the drink. Only use whole ice cubes for the 'shake & strain' as crushed ice will block the strainer.
Drinks that contain fruit juices, eggs or cream need shaking. This is the only way to combine these ingredients that do not naturally mix.
Add a glassful of ice to a mixing glass along with ingredients. Stir as above for 20 seconds then pour the entire contents into the serving glass.
Half fill a mixing glass or a shaker with ice cubes, add the required ingredients and agitate with long-handled bar spoon. After 20 seconds, strain into the serving glass through a Hawthorn strainer to retain the ice.
Stirring should mainly be applied to clear drinks. The objective being to chill & mix the ingredients, whilst retaining the clarity that shaking would remove.
A sweetener that is used in many cocktails. To make, dissolve equal amounts of caster sugar and water, simmer gently then allow to cool. If refrigerate, this can be stored for several days.
