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It’s National Margarita Day, February 22.
“Your bar menu may be a simple one-specialty drink”….quoted from Which Fork Do I Use? Setting up the Home Bar.
We don’t know who coined the phrase a signature cocktail, but we like it. How many times have you set up a mini-bar for your dinner guests to select or mix a drink of their choice? Quite a few times most likely. A mini-bar begins with minimally five basic liquors: Vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and tequila. Garnishes, mixers, an assortment of appropriate drink glasses and barware tools can quickly led a host to go straight to serving white and red wine during cocktail hour and say “forget it” to having cocktails. Providing a mini-bar for your guests can be a lot of work, cost and requires someone to serve as your mixologist. Just a side-note about having someone serve as your bartender/mixologist – you can’t assume guests actually know how to make their favorite drink. It can easily lead to guests over-indulging or creating an undrinkable cocktail. Having a signature cocktail just makes sense. Plus, it can be a fun element for your dinner party.
Become skilled at making one good cocktail, a signature cocktail, and serve it at your next dinner party. Then at future dinner parties you can serve the same drink or try a new one. Margaritas, Lemon Drop Martinis, Gin or Vodka Tonics, Manhattans, Whiskey Sours and Moscow Mules are all easy to make and tasty to drink. Your guests will look forward to discovering what you have created!
Cocktails are not all served in the same shaped glasses. In “Which Fork Do I Use?” we have detailed reference pages for Glassware, Barware Accessories, and for Setting Up Your Home Bar. It will take the guesswork out of serving cocktails for you.
Basics cocktail making needs:
- Cocktail glasses (a simple “V” shaped martini glass is a good one to start with)
- Ice bucket and scoop
- Shot glass or measuring cup
- Martini shaker
- Pitcher
- Garnishes
- Serving tray
- Cocktail napkins
- Cocktail recipe book or app (Food & Wine has an excellent annual issue)
Cocktails such as Margaritas, Lemon Drop martinis and Whiskey Sours lend themselves to being pre-mixed. Combine the liquor and the mixer together in a pitcher and keep it in the refrigerator before guests arrive. Then when ready, your drinks can be made poured proportionately into a martini shaker with ice, shaken, and served chilled. You’ll be confident and able to serve your drinks effortlessly.
Tip of the day:
- A cocktail hour before your dinner is served should be just that – 45 minutes to an hour.
Invite a friend or two over and practice creating your signature cocktail today on National Margarita Day!