Cocktail preparation means making sure you have everything that will go into the drink, including syrups, juices, ice, and garnishes. One of the hardest things about maintaining a home bar is stocking a variety of ingredients. In addition to having multiple types of alcohol on-hand, it’s also helpful to have a few types of syrups and citrus fruits stored in the fridge. For interesting flavors and garnishes, having an herb garden can be great for both cooking and cocktails (more to come on alcohols, syrups, and herbs). Before jumping into how we make mixers and drinks, let’s start with some basic tools needed to start the cocktail preparation process.
A. Knife: Allows you to cut fruits and other ingredients. No need to get fancy here — any sharp knife will do.
B. Citrus Press: Allows you to quickly squeeze the juice from lemons and limes that have been cut in half. The benefit of using the press is that it automatically filters out the pulp and seeds. The downside is that you won’t be able to juice larger fruits, such as oranges or grapefruits. Get the one pictured from Amazon.com.
C. Muddler: Allows you to mash together different ingredients in order to release the juices, aromas, or flavors. The one I use has a rubber head with small arrowhead-like pins, which work well to both release oils from fresh herbs and crush fruits with thick rinds like oranges. The benefit of using a muddler with a rubber head versus a solid wood or metal one is that the rubber helps protect your glassware from scratches. Get the one pictured from Amazon.com.
D. Wooden Reamer: Allows you to juice larger fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Using the reamer can introduce unwanted pulp and seeds into your drink, so you’ll have to double-strain your drinks to get rid of the extra bits. I recommend washing the reamer immediately after use since dried pulp is hard to remove from the crevasses. I think I grabbed mine from a kitchen supply store, but Amazon has a lot of affordable options.
E. Mason Jar: Allows you to store syrups and other mixers in the fridge. Since mason jars provide an airtight seal, I find that syrups stored in mason jars and kept in the refrigerator can last a few months (tip: before using liquids stored in your mason jar, always check for cloudiness or dark formations in case of mold). The ones I use hold 4 cups (32 fluid ounces) of liquid. I recommend getting these from Target or your local grocery store since you can get a pack of 12 for $10-$15. These can also double as serving cups.
Additional kitchen equipment to consider: sauce pans, blender, whisks, and ice molds.
Continue to Part 2: Combination to learn about tools to put your drink together.