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View ProfilesPublished September 26, 2017 at 1:17 p.m. | Updated September 27, 2017 at 10:57 a.m.
I didn't realize I didn't know how to shake and serve cocktails until I saw 109 thirsty guests lined up in front of me, polished shoes planted on a hillside in the late summer sun, sweltering in jackets and long dresses. They were thirsty. I was out of my element.
I'd agreed to invent a collection of signature cocktails for a wedding. Agreeing was the easy part. A seasoned recipe developer, I was excited about coming up with drinks that would show off the flavors of the season while also representing something about the bride and groom's story. (They're big on bourbon and lemon, for instance, so using those together was a given.)
I'd agreed to serve those cocktails, plus a few basic drinks such as vodka soda and gin and tonic, at the event. No problem, right? If I'd invented the things, surely I could mix them?
The first seven or eight guests stepped up to me and my friend, an actual bartender working the gig, who had helped me refine the drink recipes. Through my teeth, I whispered, "Hey, how do you make a gin and tonic?" He gave me a withering look and said, "You combine gin and tonic."
He made the drink. I watched and learned.
We got through the wedding, and, while I may have fumbled the shaker a couple times and put too few rocks in some glasses and too many in others, we didn't leave anyone thirsty. Happily, our signature drinks got rave reviews.
The experience taught me that mixing cocktails isn't as intuitive as I'd thought. Nor is, say, making a simple syrup, which is key to my signature recipes spotlighting autumnal flavors. So, before I pass along those recipes, here's a brief guide to the art of crafting and mixing drinks.
It's one thing to follow recipes, but another to concoct your own drinks. Understanding ratios is a great way to start. One simple ratio for a good cocktail is two ounces of booze, one ounce of something sour and one ounce of something sweet.
Lemon and lime juice may be the most common sour ingredients, but there are others. For savory cocktails, one could use pickle brine or vinegar, for instance.
When it comes to sweet stuff, knowing how to make creative simple syrups is a crucial trick. A "simple," as it's called in the trade, is one of the best ways to impart flavor without texture, using a solution of sugar and water as the vehicle.
Then there's the mixing itself. Fill a shaker halfway with ice, add booze followed by other ingredients, shake hard for at least 30 seconds and pour into an appropriate glass (which is anything you want to drink out of) with a bit of ice to keep the drink cool, if desired.
Some bartenders prefer to add ice at the end to minimize melt, while others add the mixers to the shaker before the booze. As a novice, I like to get the ice in there so I don't have to worry about it. I add the booze next because, if I over-pour the hard stuff, it's easy to adjust the rest of the drink to match.
When does one stir instead of shake? Classically, when a drink is composed purely of alcohol (such as a martini).
If you want bigger drinks without adding more alcohol, a few splashes of soda (such as seltzer or ginger beer), tonic, or juice can help keep your guests from getting tipsy so quickly. Just remember that any time you add water, even if that water is effervescent, you're diluting the flavors of the drink. And don't shake the fizzy stuff; gently stir it in after the rest of the ingredients are in the glass.
As with all recipes, taste and adjust these to your liking. Want a stronger punch? Bump up the amount of alcohol. Don't like things too sweet? Dial back on the syrup. Your perfect signature drink is just a tweak away.
A regular simple syrup is made with a 1-to-1 ratio of sugar and water. A rich simple syrup, with a 2-to-1 ratio, will bring more flavor to the drink with less dilution. This recipe makes about four cups, enough for 32 drinks, and will keep in the fridge for several weeks. Simple syrup can be flavored with all kinds of things: beet, celery, black pepper, bacon, ginger, you name it. Get crazy!
For the lemon-mint syrup:
For the cocktail:
Because cider is both sweet and acidic, this drink has a slightly different ratio. This recipe yields half a gallon of cider reduction; try adding the leftovers to a stew or mixing them with seltzer to make apple soda. I double down on the rosemary by putting it into the cider and the syrup.
For the cider reduction:
For the rosemary syrup:
For the cocktail:
For the pear-thyme syrup:
For the cocktail:
For the cardamom syrup:
For the cocktail:
The original print version of this article was headlined "Simples of the Season"
Tags: Food + Drink Features, Cocktails, Rich Simple Syrup, Bourbon, Lemon and Mint, Tequila, Cider and Rosemary, Gin, Pear and Thyme, Vodka, Cardamom and Rose, autumn
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