7 Techniques To Up Your Cocktail Garnish Game
It’s time for you to up your cocktail garnish game! How many times have you ordered a drink because of the way it looks, or picked a recipe to make at home because of the beautiful photo? Master these 7 techniques to up your cocktail garnish game!
We’re here to help you get that photo ready cocktail garnish! You’ve put in all the effort and care to make a delicious cocktail, why stop there, put the finishing touches to your drink with your garnish. After all, we first sample our drinks with our eyes!
A garnish is not just about making a drink look pretty, although it definitely should do that too. At its best, a garnish is an active ingredient, and in many recipes, it’s as important as any other for the success and balance of the drink.
All that being said, some garnishes are wonderfully silly and are just there to make you smile, and sometimes that’s all you need!
Here are 7 cocktail garnish ideas to get you started:
Twists
Twists are one of the most famous of all cocktail garnishes, but also one of the most misunderstood and mishandled. Disasters tend to happen when there’s no understanding of the ROLE that an ingredient plays, and in the case of a twist, WHAT it even is!
Olives
Olives are usually limited to Martinis and maybe the odd Bloody Mary / Red Snapper (a Bloody Mary made with Gin…give it a try!).
Because it’s the most common habitat for an olive in a cocktail, we’re just going to be talking about olives in Martinis, and the key guidelines are pretty simple. Rinse the olives before you use and don’t buy olives in oil or olives you wouldn’t eat on their own.
Wheels, Wedges & Slices
Although these may not be complex techniques, without paying the sufficient amount of attention, Wheels, Wedges & Slices can easily, and for no good reason, turn out looking hideous; like they’d been chewed rather than cut into shape.
So, we’re just going to give you a few simple and clear pointers to make sure your drinks always look their best.
Fans
Sprigs
A sprig of herb, such as mint or sage, is added to a cocktail for visual appeal but most importantly for fresh aromatics. We have some great tips for you to get the most of your herbs and how to care for them.
Rimming
Dehydrated citrus
This garnish is visually aesthetic with a deep citrus aroma that is quite different from the light fresh aroma you get from freshly cut citrus. It is also a great way of reducing waste. Dehydrated citrus lasts very long when stored properly, unlike fresh cut citrus that only has a few good hours of freshness.
We hope these 7 techniques to up your cocktail garnish game help you create beautiful cocktails like the pros, from the comfort of your home! We are social creatures and love seeing your creations. Show us your skills, tag us @Candra_drinks or message us if you have any questions.
