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Garnishes are not just there to look pretty. They provide integral, complementary flavours and aromas to your drink and therefore need to be as fresh as possible. Aroma makes up for more than 80% of how we taste and it’s good to experiment with garnish sizes, quantities and freshness to reach the desired taste, helping you to understand your garnish and their affect on flavours.
Citrus twist
A lemon twist, or zest, is an elongated oval-shaped slice of the lemon that you peel off with a bar knife or peeler. Be sure not to take too much pith (the white part) as this can add bitterness to your drink. Squeeze your twist skin side down, over your cocktail to release the essential oils.
Citrus wedge
Cleanly cut, pip free and sized to fit into the top of the drink without making it difficult to drink.
The leaves of herbs such as mint, rosemary, thyme, or lavender add flavour and aroma, while leaves like pineapple are used purely for their visual appeal and to alert the drinker to a flavour present in the drink. Give them a “smack” on the back of your hand to release the essential oils.
Icing sugar
Add sparingly via a duster over the top of berries & herbs to create a winter visual appeal.
Salt or sugar rims
These can be used sparingly to give a savoury or sweet touch to a
cocktail. Sugars and salts can be flavoured with many things to create interesting
garnishes. Use a pestle and mortar to reduce the particle size.
Olives
A classic cocktail garnish, generally used with gin-based cocktails like Martinis. They add extra flavour to the drink that can’t be replicated.
Cherries
Classic cocktail garnishes generally used in whiskey-based cocktails such as Manhattans; they can bring an element of sweetness to compliment the drink.
Coffee beans
Three, being the magic number, is also a lucky number when referring to coffee beans. Symbolising health, wealth & happiness. That’s why we add three beans to the top of an Espresso Martini.
Grated chocolate or spice
Take your spice or frozen chocolate (less likely to melt in your hand) and finely grate into a powder over the top of cocktails to release a beautiful aroma.
