Getting Set ~ Bars & Beyond
Many years ago, a friend from the Caribbean went to a reputed bar in the Indian capital and ordered a Mojito. He thought, quite naturally, that he would be given the real thing. Imagine his horror when what arrived tasted like fresh lime soda with a profusion of mint, lime and ice! A bar of that class ought to have known how to fix a Mojito. He was indignant. As he went on to provide a tutorial to the bartender, he also pointed out that the bars in the country offer many surprises to customers. One can never accurately predict whether the experience will be altogether satisfying. How can you tell a good bar from a regular rum and cola bar?
Unless a bar advertises itself as a cocktail bar, we recommend that you do not experiment with your first drink. The decor and ambience can sometimes be misleading as also the elaborate menu cards. Order safe. If the bartender gets a simple order right, whisky on the rocks or a gin and tonic, for instance, chances are he could be tasked with a complicated cocktail. Chat with the bartender and ask him what he’d recommend. He is likely to ask you for your preferred choice of alcohol before he fixes you a cocktail. You are unlikely to go wrong there. If you have a preferred method of preparing your cocktail, share this with the bartender. He is likely to fix your drink right. Check out the alcohol on display before you decide what to order. Observe other customers. If you see complex cocktails arriving at their table, feel free to experiment. But if what you see is a lot of whisky soda or rum coke, play safe. You’d be safer with a Screwdriver. Finally, be realistic. It is very unlikely that a Chinese restaurant will fix mean cocktails. A Spanish or Italian restaurant may stock wine and do a few basic drinks, but if the focus is food, the drink may not be extraordinary.
There is something that must be said for bars and spaces that encourage people to unwind over a drink. A good bar will foster bonhomie among its customers. The music is either subdued or live. You will see people participating and interacting. While it is possible that the drinks served are great, it is the ambience and energy at the bar that attract customers. The bar is likely to be well lit (not brightly lit, but just the right amount of light that allows you to see what you’re drinking) and you can actually see the face of the person you have a conversation with. What’s better is that you can even hear him. Such bars will never go out of fashion.
More than anything, good bars are gender neutral. Most bars in India have more male customers ~ women often get stares, especially if they are unescorted. While there are spaces where women can comfortably let their hair down, we suggest that your guard must never go down. Because of how they’re built physiologically, women tend to absorb alcohol faster than men and consequently get tiddlypommed easily. Pace your drink and always drink water ~ that will help you stay sober longer. At the risk of sounding preachy ~ if you are a woman anywhere in the world, do observe what the bartender puts in your cocktail, always down your drink before heading to the loo and remember that alcohol has often been blamed for accidents that were not meant to happen.
Bar etiquette • Know your limit ~ drink to enjoy, not to abuse • Chat with the bartender, let him know your preferences • Take your time to order your drink • Understand how your body responds to different spirits before you mix your drinks • Don’t consume alcohol in a single gulp, savour and enjoy the spirit • Alcohol consumption requires companions ~ drink with a friend, keep water on the side and be sure to snack along |
THE HOME BAR
If you are passionate about your drink and enjoy entertaining friends, we recommend you set up a bar at home. Usually the amount of space determines the size of the bar, but with a little planning and imagination, one can have goodsized home bars to very compact ones with all the basics integrated within a small space. You could choose between an old-fashioned wood finish or a delicate glass bar. What is important is how you stock it up with alcohol and bar tools. Everything beyond this depends on space, budget and interest.
Here are the specifics that go into making a complete bar:
Tools
The Cocktail Shaker
A shaker which comes in various shapes, sizes and styles. The most common cocktail shaker is the three-piece or combination shaker, also called the Old English Cocktail Shaker. A great set to have at home, it is good for mixing a few classic drinks, one at a time. It has a base glass that can take enough liquid for two to three measures of spirits, a middle cap with an inbuilt strainer to hold the ice when doing drinks straight up and a top cap to hold everything inside while shaking the drink.
The Boston Cocktail Shaker
This consists of a big glass and a small one that fit into one another. The smaller glass is sometimes made of glassware and is referred to as the mixing glass, ideal for stirring a Martini. This version of the cocktail shaker is usually seen at commercial bars, used by professional bartenders, as it is quite user-friendly during busy hours.
Hawthorn Strainer
This is a strainer with a wire spring that fits neatly atop the stainless steel half of a Boston Shaker.
The Blender
Many bars use the kitchen mixer and grinder but that is best for masala grinding. At the bar, use a blender that can even make slush out of ice. Hamilton Beach is a well known brand of bar blenders. Most blended drinks are a mix of more than three ingredients, consisting of juices and complex ingredients.
The Muddler
It can come in plastic or solid wood and is used to extract flavours from fresh ingredients like lemon, mint, grapes, watermelon and other fruits, herbs and vegetables. The muddler helps to prepare the finest Mojitos, Caipiroschkas and Mint Juleps. Just tall enough to stand out of the cocktail shaker and with an approximate diameter of between 1.5-2 inches, this is the magic equipment for modern-day cocktails.
The Bar Spoon
A long handled spoon is used at most bars for mixing and layering drinks. The spoon holds about 5 ml of any liquid and helps to pour ingredients that are measured in dashes. The bar spoon can sometimes be substituted by a stirring rod made of either glass or stainless steel.
Peg Measure or Jigger
This is one of the most essential equipments in a bar. Depending on the weights and measures you prefer, this jigger can come in various volumes of 25 to 30 ml or ounces. A jigger may be two sided or just one sided.
Juices & aerated drinks
Essential mixers that mae a bar include juices and aerated waters. Stock up on basic juices such as orange, pineapple, tomato, fresh lemon juice, cranberry, grapefruit and watermelon. Basic fizzy drinks include soda, sparkling water, fresh lime water/soda sweet, cola, tonic, and ginger ale.
Corkscrew
There are many styles of the corkscrew, from the basic corkscrew with a horizontal wood handle to the wing screw, but the best is called the sommelier’s knife or a waiter’s friend. This variety of corkscrew has an arm extending to brace against the lip of the bottle for leverage when removing the cork. Some sommelier knives have two steps on the lever and often also a bottle opener. A smallhinged knife blade is concealed in the handle to remove the foil wrapping of wine bottles.
Bottle Openers or Bar Blades
This important and indispensible equipment opens metal cans and caps of fizzy drinks like soda and cola. There is also a different version of a bottle opener used most widely nowadays by bartenders called the Bar Blade which is used to open only bottle caps.
Fruit Juice Extractor or Lemon Squeezer
This is essential for extracting fresh juices and comes in various shapes and sizes. At the bar, this is usually dependent on space provided inside the bar but at home this is a kitchen essential. It can be substituted with a juicer.
Ice Bucket and Ice Tongs
As ice is integral to every drink, it needs to be stored with care. The ice bucket is logically an important requirement for every bar, especially for the bar at home where ice machines may not be available. Ice tongs too, are a must-have.
Knife and a Chopping Board
A sharp knife is best for the bar to cut fruits evenly and straight. A chopping board is essential for cocktail garnish preparation at the bar.
Syrups and Mixes
We use various spirits and liqueurs to fix a cocktail and then look into the final finish with regard to dominant flavours and presentation of the drink. All these are then balanced to get what we would probably define as a fine cocktail that has the right mix of everything. Flavours, therefore, rule in a mixed drink and they may come as subtle or very aggressive on both the nose and the palate. Syrups that work well in cocktails are sugar syrup, grenadine syrup and orgeat syrup.
In a mixed drink, we use a wide range of flavours and there is no specific guideline as to what may or may not be used. From fresh ingredients to versatile liqueurs, herbs and vegetables to seasonings used for cooking ~ everything is now kosher in the cocktail world. However, the truth remains that, without a defined flavour, whether strong or mild, we will never be able to define or remember a cocktail. Around the Indian subcontinent, the list of flavours is uncountable but ironically, we cannot use them in our drinks as these seldom exist in liquid form. Many bartenders make their own mixes. It is easy to prepare, for instance, a Grog Mix (with an Indian touch of cardamom) and a coconut mix (with a packet of Nestlé™ coconut powder). When the Cosmopolitan became popular among consumers, in the absence of cranberry juice, we often used cranberry jelly (cranberry mix with jelly, water and fresh lime juice). Together with the cocktail recipes, we give you a few recipes for making your own mixes for your home bar.
Garnishes
Garnishing a drink can be likened to putting a cherry on a cake. With a little bit of imagination, this final touch to the cocktail can enhance the visual appeal in such a way that even a simple drink can look exotic and refreshing. Anything edible ~ from fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and candies ~ can be used as garnish. Fresh ingredients such as stuffed olives, cocktail onions, fresh lime, lemon, oranges, mint sprigs, sweet lime, cherries, strawberries, celery, cucumber, pineapple, orchid, rose & marigold petals make great garnishes.
Condiments and Bitters
The list includes bitters, powdered sugar, caramelised grain sugar, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, milk, single cream, eggs, nutmeg powder and cinnamon sticks.
As the name suggests, bitters are bitter in taste. The origin of bitters is probably linked to herbal medicine, when spirits of all types were being flavoured with herbs, roots, fruit peels or bark of trees that were considered to have healing properties. One of the facts that support this is the invention of tonic water. In the past, tonic water was consumed as a pick-me-up with a strong dose of quinine. Today’s version is a sweeter one. Bitters today come in various styles, ranging from Campari and Fernet Branca (Italy) or Unicum (Hungary) that are consumed in a manner similar to spirits, to strong bitters such as Angostura (Trinidad and Tobago) and Underberg (Germany) that are used to add flavour to the drink. Some bitters are also used in the kitchen to add flavour to meat.
Of the many bitters that we see today, the most popular is the Angostura bitters which were invented by a German doctor in Venezuela, who had been serving the South American revolutionary, Simon Bolivar. Today, the distillery is in Trinidad.
A preference for bitters is an acquired taste that only develops with time as the palate matures. Liqueurs and syrups win over bitters as the preferred flavouring for cocktails ~ clearly, not many people have the gall to experience a bitter-tasting drink!
Bitters have made a comeback in recent times, especially among health conscious consumers, with new cocktail recipes where bartenders have moved away from traditional sweet flavours to the dry style of mixing drinks. Professional bartenders are also inventing their own bitters with flavours such as chocolate and coffee, to enhance the taste of their cocktails and make them unique.
THE HOME BAR
What comes in various shapes and sizes and holds both the sweet and the dry?
What is sometimes long and sometimes very short and yet suits every lip?
Got you thinking, didn’t we?
Glassware comes in different designs, shapes and volumes. Without the glass or the cup, the drink that we consider elegant and soothing would certainly have had neither the charm nor be appreciated the way it is today. All glassware for drinks should preferably be transparent, to best enjoy the drink in its true colours. Glassware at the bar can be divided into two major categories ~ flatware and stemware. In most cases, ice can freely be used with the drink when served in a flatware while the usage of ice in a stemware may not always be possible except for in a few concoctions. In case of stem glasses, the idea is to keep it away from the body so as avoid disturbing the temperature of the alcohol served, which may result in variation of taste and character.
Glassware {Flatware}
Highball
This is usually a tall glass with an approximate volume of about 250-300 ml of any liquid. This is used to serve most simple drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The name of the glass is derived from the usage of serving most highball drinks, like vodka tonics and gin tonics, in it.
Old Fashioned or Rocks Glass
This is a short, fat glass with an approximate volume of 350-400 ml and is used to serve most spirit on the rocks. Some famous cocktails like Old Fashioned (from where it got its name), Manhattan and Rusty Nail are always served in this glass.
Tall Collins
This is a tall glass, taller than the highball and with a much larger volume, between 350-400 ml. It gets its name from the cocktail Tom Collins and is the classic glass for most drinks that have a double measure.
Tall Zombie
This is the tallest of cylindrical glassware. Taller than the Collins, this glass is synonymous with Long Island Iced Tea and Blue Lagoon cocktails. Most tall cocktails with aerated water are best served in the zombie glass.
Pilsner Glass
A tall conical glass with a narrow base and a wide opening, this glass is used to serve lager beers. The name is derived from the popular light lager beer Pilsner and the glass comes in various volumes ranging from 200 ml-400 ml.
Shot Glass
This is usually a straight glass with a volume of about 60 ml or 90 ml. In appearance, this could be the youngest brother of the highball. This glass is usually for shots and shooters ~ cocktails that come in small measures of 60 or 75 ml and are consumed in a single gulp.
Glassware {Stemware}
Martini Glass
Traditionally, this is a cocktail glass with a smaller volume, approximately 100 ml, used for most old style cocktails such as the classic Dry Martini, Side Car, Between the Sheets and Pink Gin. It is a tall stemmed, V-shaped glass where most straight up cocktails could be served.
Coupé
Once used for serving sweeter versions of champagne, this stemmed glass owes its origins to seventeenth century England and continued to be popularly used for serving champagne and sparkling wines in the 1930s. The coupé has a wide opening and is used today for serving classic straight up drinks instead of champagne.
A few good examples
Tall Collins ~ Flatware |
Wine Glass ~ Stemware |
Old Fashioned ~ Flatware |
Hi-ball ~ Flatware |
Champagne Flute ~ Stemware |
Coupé ~ Stemware |
Aperitif ~ Stemware |
Shot Glass ~ Flatware |
Martini Glasss ~ Stemware |
A hard-core spiritualist would probably be quite finicky about glassware, with every good reason ~ the right kind enhances the character of your drink. But we always encourage our friends to experiment with glasses and mugs that are traditionally not meant for alcoholic beverages. Try serving your cocktails in a chai glass ~ Indian variations of classic cocktails work quite well and add to the appeal of the drink if presented right. Terracotta cups that impart an aroma and sweetness of clay to your drink go well with cocktails that have milk or cream ~ the Panchamrita (see page 126) can easily be served that way. Don’t make the mistake of serving alcohol in steel glasses. It just doesn’t work and kills the pleasure of drinking altogether. Remember, drinking is as much about seeing the concoction as tasting it.
White Wine Glass
This is a simpler form of the wine glass simply because the white wine category is not as complex as the reds. It has a long stem and a bowl that is not too bulging. This glass has a narrower top and eases the flavours. The approximate volume of this glass varies between 180 ml-300 ml, based on the height of the stem.
Red Wine Glass
This glass could come in more than one variety and in the glassware category it is the widest of all. Usually it comes with the traditional tall stem with a rounded bowl and a smaller opening which helps the flavours to concentrate. This allows one to best enjoy the complex aromas of the wine. This glass would have various shapes apart from the all-purpose red wine glass and is totally based on the wine, the region and its character.
Champagne Flute
This is a tall, very narrow-stemmed glass with a small bowl. It is a specially designed sleek narrow glass for champagnes and sparkling wines and is best used to retain the carbonation of the drink for a longer period of time because of its minimal surface area.
Brandy Balloon or Snifter
This is a globular glass with a very narrow top, used to serve the finest brandies aged for a certain period of time. The short stem helps in passing on the warmth from the palm into the spirit and releases the delicate aromas. The narrow top allows the flavours to concentrate so that it can be best sniffed and enjoyed by the consumer.
Beer Goblet
Also called a chalice, it has a short stem with a big bowl and is slightly narrow at the top. It is largely used in commercial establishments to serve almost all styles of beer. These glasses also vary with country of origin of beer, character, style and history. Whatever the style of the glass, the volume of the beer goblets is above 400 ml.
Liqueur Glass
This is a short-stemmed glass with a very small volume, 45-75 ml, for serving liqueurs after dinner. The bowl of the glass comes in many shapes.
Sherry Glass
A short-stemmed glass, slightly larger in volume compared to a liqueur glass, this glass is best used to serve sherry or any other aperitif, aromatised or fortified wines.
Aperitif Glass
This is another classic stemmed glass that is used to serve lesser volumes of alcohol. It is used widely in bars to serve Sherry and Port and cocktails such as Sazerac. Many innovations also go well with this classic stemware.
Bar Checklist
TOOLS
Bottle opener
Corkscrew
Muddler
Strainer
Cocktail shaker
Lemon squeezer
Bar spoon
Peg measure
Pourer
APPLIANCES
Refrigerator
Blender
Ice crusherr
ICE AND WATER
SYRUPS AND MIXES
AERATED DRINKS
Soda
Tonic water
Cola
Fresh lime water/soda sweet
Energy drinks
JUICES
BITTERS
CONDIMENTS
GARNISHES
GLASSWARE
Wine glasses
Old fashioned/rocks glasses
Tall glasses
Mugs/Pilsners/goblets (for beer)
Shot glasses
EXTRAS
Stirrers
Straws
Napkins
Toothpicks
Cocktail swords
Stocking up
If you are well stocked for your kitchen, it is likely that you are equipped for your home bar. We have always found the best ingredients by wandering around markets, taking in the sights and smells from the food and vegetable stalls and drawing inspiration for innovative cocktails from what we would put in our food. What works in your food is likely to impart an interesting flavour to your drink. What you would normally use to marinate your meat could possibly provide a decent finish to a Martini. Who knows? We encourage our friends to innovate ~ use curry leaves and herbs such as basil and coriander to infuse your alcohol. Garnish the cocktail with fresh fruits, petals ~ rose and marigold work quite well ~ and herbs. Spice it up with peppercorns or cinnamon. Explore your markets and see what could work. Visit departmental stores, you may find a version of marmalade that could add that extra something to a frozen Daiquiri. Don’t be afraid to experiment.
If you travel frequently, think beyond the Scotch at the duty-free store. Try stocking up on Japanese whiskies or even Bourbons. The latter make an excellent base for cocktails. Invest in Jamaican rum or even Mauritian rhum agricole that is often infused with vanilla, coffee or spices. Purchase Ouzo if you are travelling to Greece. Or its cousin, Raki, in Turkey. Limoncello, if you happen to be in Italy. Borovička if your travels take you to Slovakia. It tastes quite good with fresh rhododendron juice from the Himalayas. Who would know that unless one tried? Try Tuica if you’re in Romania. It is vile but worth experimenting with. Sake if you’re in Japan.
Nothing beats good research ~ we have a range of books and information on bartending, cocktail recipes and alcohol and we scour the internet for ideas. If you are passionate about something, there’s nothing to hold you back from knowing and experimenting, is there?
