HOW TO FLAME A PEEL
Use a paring knife to cut a strip of orange peel one inch wide, with plenty of pith. Hold the peel between your thumb and forefinger with the orange side facing out. Ready a lighter in your other hand. As you press down on the peel to express orange oil, strike your lighter so that the spray catches fire. Discard the peel, or drop it into your drink—whichever you prefer. Drinks that are good candidates for a flamed peel are spirituous drinks, such as the Negroni (page 91) and the Old Fashioned (page 28). In this book, we use a flamed peel in the Oaxaca Old Fashioned (page 139).
HOW TO MAKE A CITRUS TWIST OR SPIRAL
For a basic twist, use a Y-peeler or a paring knife to shave off a thin tongue of peel. Try not to shave off a lot of pith. Twist the peel over the top of the glass to release oils, then drop it in the drink or rest it along the rim. For a spiral twist, use a vegetable peeler or a channel knife with a V-shaped blade to groove out a long, thin spiral. You can drape this over the side of the glass, or you can twist the peel around a straw to form a curl, then sling it over the rim.
HOW TO RIM A GLASS WITH CITRUS
Cut a strip of citrus peel about half an inch wide using a peeler or paring knife. You’ll want to use the colored side of the peel, which contains oils, to rim the lip of the glass. Run the peel around the rim, expressing oils as you go. This adds aroma and a burst of flavor to the first sip.
HOW TO CREATE A SUGAR OR SALT RIM
Start with a wedge of citrus. Run the wedge along the lip of the glass so that the juice moistens the rim. Invert the glass and dip it into a plate of sugar or salt (usually 1 to 2 tablespoons, or 15 to 30 g). Tap the glass a few times to remove excess granules.
HOW TO SPANK AND FLOAT HERBS
When you are working with herb garnishes, like sage, rosemary, mint, or lavender, you can “spank” them to release their essential oils. Then, when you float them on the top of a cocktail, they will send up a gust of lovely aromatics. To spank your herbs, smack them between your palms. It’s rather exhilarating.