To finish of all your
hard work in producing the perfect cocktail you will
need to decorate, or garnish, the drink. This can be
done in a number of ways. The most popular is fruit.
Garnishing
Cocktail
garnishes
are
decorative
ornaments
that add
character or
style to a
mixed drink,
most notably
to
cocktails.
A large
variety of
cocktail
garnishes
are used.
Many
rum-based
cocktails,
especially
those with
fruit
flavours,
tend to be
decorated
with
tropical-themed
garnishes or
slices of
fruit.
Tequila-based
drinks
favour limes
and other
citrus
fruits.
Gin- and
vodka-based
drinks tend
toward
garnishes
with a more
dignified
flair
(olives or a
citrus twist
or a single
maraschino
cherry),
unless they
are
variations
of a fruity
rum-based
drink.
Whiskey- and
brandy-based
drinks tend
toward
minimal
garnishment,
if any.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Common Garnishes
-
Carrot
sticks
-
Celery
stalks
-
Cherries
-
Cinnamon
- grated
-
Cocktail
olives
-
Cocktail
onions
-
Lemon
slice,
twist,
or wedge
-
Lime
slice,
twist,
or wedge
|
-
Mint sprigs or leaves
-
Nutmeg, grated
-
Orange slice, twist, or
wedge
-
Pineapple slice or wedge
-
Pepper
-
Salt, (applied to the
rim of glasses)
-
Sugar, granulated or
powdered
-
Strawberries
-
Watermelon wedge
|
|
|
The Cocktail Stick
 There
are two types of Cocktail,
Wooden or plastic. Wooden
sticks are most often
used, and are suited for
just about any kind of
cocktail. Plastic sticks,
however, should be used
carefully, as they tend to
give the cocktail an
artificial appearance.
Almost all cocktails are
decorated in one way or
another, most often with
some kind of fruit, but no
matter the decoration,
cocktail sticks are almost
always invaluable.
Cocktail sticks are, used
for spearing slices of
fruit, cherries, and just
about anything else you care
to decorate your cocktails
with, making it easier to
either hang the fruit over
the glass or to remove it
altogether. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Maraschino Cherry
The traditional cocktail
garnish is, however, the red
Maraschino cherries.
These are used in just about
any kind of cocktail, and
are now also available in
green, yellow and blue.
In addition to this, slices
of fruit, strips of orange
or lemon peel, mint twigs,
etc. can also be used.
|
|
|
One often used method of decorating
cocktails is frosting. Frosting leaves
an edge of sugar, salt, cocoa, or any
other fine powder, on the rim of the
glass. There are several ways to frost
glasses, and one of the most frequently
used of them is to rub the rim of the
glass with a slice of orange or lemon,
then submerge the rim in sugar or salt,
just so that it lines the top of the
rim. Other methods use egg white or
water to helpstick the powder to the
glass. With some cocktails, such as the
Margarita, frosting is a 'standard'
decoration.
Straws are also essential and go well
with highballs, as are stirrers, they
both give the drinker something to do
whilst drinking their cocktail. Research
has shown people enjoy their drink more
when they have something to do with
their hands, stirring or muddling the
fruit in the cocktail not only gives
them full contentment with their drink,
but can also enhance the flavour of the
drink by continuing to mix the
ingredients, and infusing the fruit
within the glass. |
|
