Ingredients, Equipment and Cocktails!
Picture Courtesy: Priya Panchwadkar
I am not a writer. So don’t expect something that enraptures you into an imaginary land with liquor fountains and mixer rivers, but being from the Food and Beverage industry, I always end up being the designated drink maker. The ingredient list only includes the alcohol of choice for the night and a bottle of aerated beverage (like some Sprite, Limca, Coke, etc. ) which is the scene at most people's houses. One day, I found a stray orange in Ishika’s fridge, so I just sliced it up with the peel on and put one in everyone's gin and tonic (luckily my friends have graduated to tonic from Sprite ). And dear lord, everyone was astounded as they found it super delicious. They still remember it till date. That’s when they realised that it's not really that difficult to end up with a good drink even if you’re at home and have the most basic ingredients.
All it requires is some trial and error on your part, but when you start hitting that sweet spot, you definitely put in effort to expand your horizons and the ingredient list of your pantry.
Ingredients are important, but a few other things give you the edge over everyone else’s cocktails. Ice; clean and good quantity. And a cocktail shaker: Boston shaker for the win ( google it if you don’t know what it is).
Since this is to help you make cocktails at home, I am using really basic words and measurements. Exact quantities may differ from some classical recipes, but hey, you want a tasty drink or you want to pass some cocktail making exam? Don’t even get me started on how annoyed I get when I see most of the recipes in ounces. You could buy a Jigger/ Peg Measure ( please google it), to measure out alcohol quantities, but to be honest, according to my avid experiences, nobody cares about the measures post 3 - 4 drinks. Hope your experiences are different and maybe umm...more responsible.
I am putting down a few classical recipes and some recipes of my own which were conceived based on my trial and error at home.
A Checklist for your home mixology:
1 . A boston shaker/ A cocktail shaker
2. Ice: Invest in deep ice trays, which give you a clear big cube. The bigger cube of ice, the less your drink gets diluted while you savour it.
3. Glassware: Use different glasses for different drinks. A wine glass can be used to serve wine, but it can also be used for a G&T or a martini.
(We have provided y'all with the preferred glass of choice for each drink, but you can use any funky glassware you have)
4. Garnishes: Whether it is as small as a salt rim, or an orange peel, or you are smoking spices to add into your drink, make sure they are fresh for maximum flavour.
Enjoy my creations and comment below if you want me to create a certain drink for you!
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