Cocktail Clinic: Techniques to Master

01-11-2008

Techniques to Master

· Chill a Glass - Chilled glasses are essential for any cocktail that should be served cold. The easiest way to chill a glass is to store it in the freezer or refrigerator. If you’re going to use the freezer wet your glass, inside and out, and store upside down. If you can’t spare the room, fill the glass full with ice and add cold water and let it sit for about four minutes. Drain the glass and sit it upside down for about a minute and you’ll see the glass frost.

· Rim a Glass - To lightly coat the rim of a glass, place a few spoonfuls of salt (kosher works best), sugar (granulated) or other powdered or finely crushed ingredients on a small plate. Wet the outer rim of the glass with a wedge of citrus fruit, water or a liquid relevant to the drink. Then take the glass and place it upside down on the plate and roll the lip around on the plate pressing gently, until the outer rim is lightly coated. Hold the glass upside down and gently tap the base to release any excess. Try not to let any fall into the glass.

· Flame a Twist - Flaming a lemon or orange twist intensifies the essential citrus oils in the fruit, providing extra aroma and flavor to a drink. Start by cutting a thin, oval, quarter-size piece of zest (outer rind of the fruit) with a bit of the white pith intact. Grasping the outer edges very gently between the thumb and index finger, hold the twist skin side down about 4 inches over a cocktail. Set a lit match an inch below the twist, then pinch the edges sharply together to propel the citrus oils through the flame and into the drink. If you don’t want to use the flame, you can just take the twist between your thumb and index finger on both sides and twist over the drink. Then take the twist and rim the glass color side down, and then drop the twist in the drink. Found in FOOD & WINE: Cocktails