BAR BASICS
EQUI PMENT
T
he right tools make mixing drinks easier, but some tasks simply
cant be done without the right gizmo.
Boston Shaker: Two-piece set comprised of a mixing glass and a
slightly larger metal container that acts as a cover for the mixing glass
for shaking cocktails. The mixing glass can be used alone for stirring
drinks that arent shaken.
Barspoon: Long-handled, shallow spoon with a twisted handle
used for stirring drinks.
Hawthorne Strainer: Perforated metal top for the metal half of a
Boston shaker, held in place by a wire coil. Serves as a strainer.
Julep Strainer: Perforated, spoon-shaped strainer used in conjunc-
tion with a mixing glass.
Cocktail Shaker: Metal pitcher with a tight-fitting lid, under
which sits a strainer. While styles vary widely, the popular retro-style
pitcher has a handle as well as a spout thats sealed with a twist-off
cap.
Electric Blender: Absolutely necessary to make frozen drinks,
puree fruit, and even crush ice for certain recipes.
Cutting Board: Either wood or plastic, it is used to cut fruit upon
for garnishes.
Paring Knife: Small, sharp knife to prepare fruit for garnishes.
Muddler: Looks like a wooden pestle, the flat end of which is used
to crush and combine ingredients in a serving glass or mixing glass.
Grater: Useful for zesting fruit or grating nutmeg.
Bottle Opener: Essential for opening bottles that arent twist-off.
Church Key: Usually metal, it is pointed at one end to punch
holes in the tops of cans, while the other end is used to open bottles.
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Corkscrew: There are a myriad of styles from which to choose:
Professionals use the Waiters Corkscrew, which looks like a pen-
knife, the Screw-Pull, or the Rabbit Corkscrew. The Winged
Corkscrew, found in most homes, is considered easiest to use but
often destroys the cork.
Citrus Reamer: Essential for juicing fruit, it comes in two styles:
either the strainer bowl with the pointed cone on top, or the wooden
handle with the cone attached, which must be used with a strainer.
Jigger: Helpful for precise measuring (though professionals just
count out the ounces in seconds silently), it is usually two v-shaped
metal cups conjoined at the narrow end, one end measuring 1 ounce,
the other 1
1
2 ounces.
Ice Bucket with Scoop and Tongs: A bar without ice is like a car
without gas. Use the scoopnever the glassto gather ice in a mixing
glass or shaker and tongs to add single cubes to a prepared drink.
Miscellaneous Accoutrements: Sipsticks or stirrers, straws, cock-
tail napkins, coasters, and cocktail picks.
GLASSWARE
Clean, polished glasses show off good drinks to great advan-
tage. The best glasses should be thin-lipped, transparent, and
sound off in high registers when pinged. In practice, these
five glasses could be used to make most of the mixed drinks and
cocktails found in this book:
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BAR BASI C S
Cocktail Glass (also known as
Martini Glass): Typically 4 to 8
ounces, but lately much larger.
Collins Glass: Tall and narrow,
typically 8 to 12 ounces.
Highball Glass: Shorter Collins
Glass, typically 8 to 10 ounces.
Hurricane Glass: Short-stem,
hour-glass-shaped, typically 14 to
20 ounces.
Old-Fashioned Glass: Wide
and squat, typically 6 to 8
ounces.
Shot Glass
Beer Mug
Beer/Pilsner Glass
Irish Coffee Glass
Pousse Caf Glass
Parfait Glass
Red Wine Glass
White Wine
Glass
Sherry Glass
Champagne Flute
Brandy Snifter
Cordial or
Pony Glass
Whiskey Sour
Glass
A complete inventory of glassware, however, would include the fol-
lowing:
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Collins Shot Highball Old-Fashioned
Brandy Snifter Cocktail Cordial Whiskey Sour
or Pony
Red Wine White Wine Sherry Champagne Parfait
Flute
Beer Mug Beer Pilsner Irish Coffee Glass Pousse Caf
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TAKI NG STOCK
Nobody ever said stocking a home bar is easy or inexpensive,
which is probably why so few people bother to do it. However, if
youre above the fray, feeling inspired by this book, and make the rea-
sonable rationalization about the money youll spend stocking your
bar versus the money youll save on buying drinks at bars, heres what
youll need to do it right:
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BAR BASI C S
Bitters
Angostura Bitters
Peychauds Bitters
Orange Bitters
Fruit Juices
Lime Juice
Lemon Juice
Cranberry Juice
Pineapple Juice
Other juices and nectars
Savory Ingredients
Tomato Juice
Clam Juice
Horseradish
Hot Sauces
Worcestershire Sauce
Sweetening
Ingredients
Simple Syrup (equal parts
water and granulated sugar,
heated over a flame, and then
cooled and stored in refriger-
ator until needed)
Superfine Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Coconut Cream
Various Fruit Syrups (Orgeat,
Elderflour)
Grenadine
Dairy/Egg Ingredients
Milk
Cream (Heavy, Half-and-Half)
Butter
Eggs
Sodas
Seltzer/Club Soda
Quinine/Tonic Water
Various: Cola, Lemon/Lime,
etc.
Garnishes
Lemon Wedges
Lime Wedges
Assorted Fruit Wheels
Pineapple Chunks
Maraschino Cherries
Olives
Celery
Fresh Herbs (Mint, Basil, etc.)
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TECHNI QUES
How to Chill a Glass
Always chill before you fill. There are two ways to make a cocktail
glass cold:
1. Put the glasses in the refrigerator or freezer a couple of
hours before using them.
2. Fill the glasses with ice and water, stir, and then discard
when drink is ready.
How to Frost a Glass
There are two types of frosted glasses. For frosted drinks, glasses
should be stored in a refrigerator or buried in shaved ice long enough
to give each glass a white, frosted, ice-cold look and feel.
For a sugar-frosted glass, moisten the rim of a pre-chilled glass
with a slice of lime or lemon and then dip the rim into powdered
sugar.
For Margaritas, rub the rim of the glass with a lime, invert the glass,
and dip it into coarse salt.
How to Muddle
Muddling is a simple mashing technique for grinding herbs, such
as mint, smooth in the bottom of a glass. You can buy a wooden mud-
dler in a bar-supply store. It crushes the herbs, much as the blunt
handle of a wooden spoon might, without scarring your glassware.
To Stir or Not to Stir
Pitchers of cocktails need at least 10 seconds of stirring to mix
properly. Carbonated mixers in drinks do much of their own stirring
just by naturally bubbling. Two stirs will complete the job.
When to Shake
Shake any drink made with juices, sugar, or cream, or use an elec-
tric blender. Strain cocktails from shaker or blender to a glass through
a coil-rimmed strainer.
BAR BASI C S
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Pouring
Pour drinks as soon as you make them or they will wilt. Leftovers
should be discarded or they will be too diluted by the time you get to
seconds.
When making a batch of drinks at once, set up the glasses in a row.
Pour until each glass is half-full, and then backtrack until the shaker is
empty. That way everyone gets the same amount, thoroughly mixed.
Floating Liqueurs
Creating a rainbow effect in a glass with different-colored cordials
requires a special pouring technique. Simply pour each liqueur slowly
over an inverted teaspoon (rounded side up) into a glass. Start with
the heaviest liqueur first. (Recipes will give proper order.) Pour slowly.
The rounded surface of the spoon will spread each liqueur over the
one beneath without mixing them. You can accomplish the same trick
using a glass rod. Pour slowly down the rod.
The Secret of Flaming
The secret of setting brandy (or other high-alcohol spirits) aflame
is first to warm it and its glass until almost hot. You can warm a glass
by holding it by its stem above the flame or electric coil on your stove
until the glass feels warm. (Avoid touching the glass to the flame or
coil, which could char or crack it.)
Next, heat 2 to 4 ounces of brandy in a saucepan above the flame
(or in a cooking pan). When the brandy is hot, ignite it with a match.
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If its hot enough, it will flame instantly. Pour the flaming liquid care-
fully into the other brandy you want flamed. If all the liquid is warm
enough, it will ignite.
Warning: Flames can shoot high suddenly. Look up and be sure
theres nothing en route that can ignite. That includes your hair. Have
an open box of baking soda handy in case of accidents. Pour it over
flames to extinguish them. Use pot holders to protect your hands
from the hot glass, spoon, or pan.
Using Fruit and Fruit Juices
Whenever possible, use only fresh fruit. Wash the outside peel
before using. Fruit can be cut in wedges or in slices. If slices are used,
they should be cut about
1
4-inch thick and slit toward the center to fix
slice on rim of glass. Make sure garnishes are fresh and cold.
When mixing drinks containing fruit juices, always pour the liquor
last. Squeeze and strain fruit juices just before using to ensure fresh-
ness and good taste. Avoid artificial, concentrated substitutes.
When recipes call for a twist of lemon peel, rub a narrow strip or
peel around the rim of the glass to deposit the oil on it. Then twist the
peel so that the oil (usually one small drop) will drop into the drink.
Then drop in the peel. The lemon oil gives added character to the
cocktail, which many prefer.
Opening Champagne or Sparkling Wine
When the bottle is well chilled, wrap it in a clean towel and undo
the wire around the cork. Pointing the bottle away from people and
priceless objects, hold the cork with one hand, grasp the bottle by the
BAR BASI C S
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indentation on the bottom, and slowly turn the bottle (not the cork!)
until the cork comes free with a pop! Pour slowly into the center of
the glass.
Opening Wine
Cut the seal neatly around the neck with a sharp knife just below
the top. Peel off, exposing the cork. Wipe off the cork and bottle lip.
Insert the corkscrew and turn until the corkscrew is completely inside
the cork. With a steady pull, remove the cork. If the cork crumbles or
breaks, pour the wine through a tea strainer into another container for
serving. The host or hostess should taste the wine to check its quality
before offering it to guests.
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For 4 People
6 cocktails/wine
6 glasses wine
with lunch
4 liqueurs
8 cocktails or
8 glasses wine
first 2 hours
6 drinks an hour
thereafter
8 cocktails/wine
8 glasses wine
with dinner
4 liqueurs
4 drinks an hour
after dinner
16 cocktails/wine
For 6 People
10 cocktails/wine
10 glasses wine
with lunch
6 liqueurs
12 cocktails or
12 glasses wine
first 2 hours
9 drinks an hour
thereafter
12 cocktails/wine
12 glasses wine
with dinner
6 liqueurs
6 drinks an hour
after dinner
24 cocktails/wine
For 10 People
15 cocktails/wine
15 glasses wine
with lunch
10 liqueurs
20 cocktails or
20 glasses wine
first 2 hours
15 drinks an hour
thereafter
20 cocktails/wine
20 glasses wine
with dinner
10 liqueurs
10 drinks an hour
after dinner
40 cocktails/wine
SERVING A CROWD
HOW MANY DRINKS TO PLAN
BAR BASI C S
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W
hether youre hosting an intimate dinner party or
throwing a bash for a crowd, the buying guide charts in
this section can make it easy for you to determine how
much liquor and wine youll need.
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HOW MANY BOTTLES OF WINE FOR DINNER
Table Wines, Champagnes, Sparkling Wines
(average 2 servings, 5 ounces each, per person)
People 4 6 8 10 12 20
750 ml 2 2+ 3+ 4 5 8
1.5 Liter 1 1+ 2 2 2+ 4
Generally, bottle quantities recommended provide some
small overages of wine from 10-ounces-per-guest formula;
+ indicates somewhat less formula, and you may desire
to have an additional bottle on hand.
HOW MANY DRINKS PER BOTTLE
Cocktails, Mixed Drinks
(1.5-ounce liquor servings)
Bottles 1 2 4 6 8 10 12
750 ml 16 33 67 101 135 169 203
Liter 22 45 90 135 180 225 270
1.5 Liter 39 78 157 236 315 394 473
Table Wines, Champagnes, Sparkling Wines
(5-ounce wine servings)
Bottles 1 2 4 6 8 10 12
750 ml 5 10 20 30 40 50 60
Liter 6 13 27 40 54 67 81
1.5 Liter 10 20 40 60 81 101 121
3 Liter 20 40 80 121 161 202 242
4 Liter 27 54 108 162 216 270 324
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