How to Mix Drinks

How to Use a Jigger

How to Stir a Cocktail

1. Fill a glass with ice. If the drink requires straining (see below), use a mixing glass. Otherwise, use your serving glass, also called a drinking glass.
2. Add liquor and then juices/mixers according to the recipe.
3. Stir the drink with a bar spoon.

How to Shake a Cocktail

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice.
2. Add remaining ingredients as directed by your recipe.
3. Secure the shaker snugly over the mixing glass.
4. With one hand on the top of the shaker container and the other on the bottom of the mix­ing glass, shake vigorously.
5. Remove the container care­fully from the mixing glass. If they are stuck together, tap the shaker gently on a counter near the seal of the two containers.

How to Strain a Cocktail

1. Hold the strainer on top of the mixing glass with your index finger.
2. Tilt and pour into your drinking glass.

How to Muddle a Cocktail

1. Place a piece of fruit, peel, or herb in the bottom of a mix­ing glass or drinking glass.
2. Press down firmly on the fruit/peel/herb with the mud­dler and rotate back and forth.
3. Continue until the fruit/peel/herb has released its liquid or oils. When you’re finished you should smell the aroma of the muddled ingredient.

How to Garnish a Cocktail with Fruit

How to Cut Fruit Slices

1. Cut off both ends of the fruit. Then stand it up on one of its cut ends.
2. Cut fruit lengthwise in half. Then lay it flesh-side down on the cutting board.
3. Cut the halves widthwise into slices 1/4–1/2" thick.
    
   
4. Cut a small slice halfway into the flesh of the middle of the fruit so that you can place the slice on the lip of the glass before presenting the drink.

How to Cut Fruit Wedges

1. Cut off both ends of the fruit. Then stand it up on one of its cut ends.
2. Cut fruit in half lengthwise. Then lay it flesh-side down on the cutting board.
3. Cut fruit in half lengthwise two more times, so each wedge is one-eighth of the fruit.
    
   

How to Cut Peel Twists

1. Cut off both ends of the fruit you’re using as a garnish.
2. Slice into the fruit lengthwise deeply but not all the way through.
3. Open up the fruit partway, exposing the flesh.
4. Separate the rind from the fruit flesh with the edge of a cocktail spoon.
5. Once the flesh is removed, roll the rind up into a spiral. Cut it widthwise into thin strips roughly 1/4" wide.
6. Each strip should have a slight spiral/corkscrew shape.
    
   

How to Make Simple Syrup

1. Dissolve one part sugar in one part boiling water and simmer for three minutes.
2. Allow the syrup to cool and pour into a plastic container or squeeze bottle.

How to Use a Waiter’s Corkscrew to Open Bottles

1. Flip open the blade and cut the foil in a circular motion around the top of the bottleneck. Peel off the foil and make sure the top of the bottle is clear of foil pieces.
2. Close the blade and open the worm, the twisted piece of metal that penetrates the cork. Place the worm’s tip in the center of the cork and twist clockwise while applying gentle downward pressure until the worm is fully submerged in the cork.
3. Open the brace and rest its grooved edge on the lip of the bottle. Holding the brace in place with one hand, slowly pull the base of the corkscrew straight upward with the other hand so that the worm pulls the cork out of the bottle.