Cocktail Garnishing

Cocktail garnishes are decorative ornaments that add character

or style to a mixed drink, most notably to cocktails.

A large variety of cocktail garnishes are used. Many rum-based

cocktails, especially those with fruit flavors, tend to be decorated
with tropical-themed garnishes or slices of fruit. Tequila-based
drinks favor limes and other citrus fruits. Gin- and vodka-based
drinks tend toward garnishes with a more dignified flair (olives,
onions, or possibly a citrus twist or a single maraschino cherry),
unless they are variations of a fruity rum-based drink. Whiskeyand brandy-based drinks tend toward minimal garnishment, if
any. Restaurant chains and hotel bars tend to use larger and
more ostentatious garnishes, and neighborhood bars tend to go
the other extreme.

1. Obtain the proper garnishing tools. Most

garnishes can be made with a paring knife,
but it is helpful to have a channel knife
tool and a grater. A larger knife may be
needed if larger fruits are to be prepared,
such as oranges and pineapples. Channel
Knife tools are used to make twists and spirals
from citrus fruits, while a grater enables
one to grate ingredients such as chocolate
and nutmeg fresh right over the cocktail. A
grater can also be used to grate ingredients
that are used for rimming glasses. A
combination of different garnishes can be
used, so have the tools ready for the types
of garnishes that are to be made.

Lemon wedges and wheel, paring

knife, channel knife tool and the
makings of lemon spirals, dark
chocolate square and microplane
grater

2. Decide what kinds of garnishes should be used. The

cocktail recipe will usually call for a certain
garnish, but this is not always the case. Different
garnishes can be used according to personal
preference, and combinations of multiple
garnishes can be used. Citrus garnishes are
generally great for cocktails that do not contain
milk or cream, although there are creamy cocktails
that call for citrus garnishes such as orange
spirals. Maraschino cherries complement many
different types of cocktails, but should never be
used in certain cocktails, such as a standard
martini. Many garnishes complement one of the
primary cocktail ingredients. Tomato-based
cocktails are generally garnished with limes,
lemons and celery stalks. Always consider how the
garnish will complement the flavor of the primary
ingredients. Vodka-based cocktails tend to pair
well with lemon and lime flavors, tequila and rum
pair well with limes, rum can pair well with mint,
chocolate pairs with creme de cacao liqueur, and
coffee beans complement coffee liqueur. Also
consider the overall theme of the drink. Tropical
cocktails may use tropical fruits, and dessert
cocktails may use cookies or chocolate. A cocktail
that uses spiced rum may be garnished with a
cinnamon stick.

Bloody Bull cocktail garnished with

salt-rimmed glass, lemon wedge
and lime wheel

3. Rim the glass. The rim of the empty glass can

be coated with garnishes such as fine sugar, salt,
cocoa powder, finely grated chocolate and finely
crushed graham crackers or cookies. To coat the
rim of a glass, first spread or mound the garnish
ingredient on a small plate or tray, then briefly
rub around the rim of the glass with something
such as a lemon wedge to moisten it. The garnish
will adhere to the area that is moistened. Then
lay the glass on its side so that the rim is
touching the garnish, and rotate or roll the glass
on the garnish so that the entire rim is coated.
The glass can also just be placed upside down on
the rimming ingredient and rotated somewhat to
coat the rim. Additional garnishes may be added to
cocktails that are served in rimmed glasses.

Rimming glass with superfine sugar

4. Prepare standard or simple garnishes. Garnishes

generally need to be prepared before the cocktail
is mixed. Common, relatively simple garnishes for
cocktails include maraschino cherries as well as
citrus wedges, wheels, twists and spirals. Olives,
cocktail onions and celery stalks are also
commonly used for certain drinks.
Wheels are made by simply slicing a fruit
widthwise. The ends of the fruit are disposed of,
and the slices should be about 1/4" thick. To make
wedges, first cut off and dispose of the ends of
the fruit, then slice the fruit into eight wedges.
Start by cutting the fruit in half from one cut
end to the other (lengthwise).

Making lemon wedges

 Spirals can be dangled from the rim of the glass.

Twists are twisted, bent or rolled to release the
citrus skin oils and to give them their
characteristic shape, then dropped into the drink.
Twists can be about an inch or more long, while
spirals can be a few or more inches long. Twists
and spirals can both be made relatively easily with
a channel knife tool. Try making twists by running
the channel knife tool lengthwise along a lemon (or
other citrus fruit), and make spirals by running the
channel knife around a lemon. Twists and spirals
can also be made by cutting the rind of a citrus
fruit into strips with a paring knife.

Garnishes such as cherries, cocktail olives and

cocktail onions can be speared with toothpicks
and rested on the rim of the glass or merely
dropped into the drink and allowed to rest on the
bottom of the glass, especially if the drink is not
opaque. If multiple such fruits are going to be used
to garnish one cocktail, it is best to spear them
together with a toothpick.

For an easy but attractive garnish, rest a sprig of

mint on the glass rim or on the drink. Cinnamon
sticks can simply be rested on the rim of the glass
or placed vertically in the drink.

5. Prepare more elaborate or exotic garnishes. Use a

toothpick to stick together different fruits to make
fruit "flags" and "boats". Flags are stuck onto the
rim of the glass, with one fruit stuck on top of
another. Boats essentially rest against the rim and
on or partially in the drink, but are not stuck onto
the rim of the glass. However, a boat garnish can
rest on the rim of the glass with the help of a
toothpick. An orange and cherry boat is made by
placing a cherry on the center of an orange wheel
and bending the slice somewhat around the cherry
like a taco. A toothpick is inserted through the
orange slice and the cherry to keep the slice
curved like a boat around the cherry. Use boats
with frothy cocktails. Try using fruits such as
pineapples, bananas, kiwis and berries when
making fruit flags. Leave fruits unpeeled when
slicing them into garnishes such as wheels.
Strawberries and other fruits can be dipped in
melted chocolate and placed on the rim of the
glass.

Orange boat and orange

flag (use one to garnish a
prepared cocktail)

Pear slice and kiwi wheel

(use one to garnish a prepared
cocktail)

To make a chocolate-dipped strawberry that can be

placed on the rim of a glass, first melt some
chocolate, then carefully dip the strawberry in the
chocolate and allow the extra chocolate to drip off.
The chocolate should be allowed to cool and
solidify somewhat so that is doesn't drip down the
glass. Set the strawberry down on parchment
paper or wax paper for a short period of time, or
keep it suspended vertically so that the chocolate
drips downward evenly and forms an even coating.
When the chocolate has become stable but is still
somewhat gooey, make a vertical slice in the
bottom of the strawberry through the chocolatedipped part, and place it on the rim of the glass. If
the chocolate has been allowed to solidify
completely, it may crack and break off somewhat
when the strawberry is sliced and placed on the
rim. The strawberry can be placed on an empty
glass before straining or pouring the drink, and try
chilling the glass and/or the strawberry first so that
the chocolate solidifies rapidly.

Banana slice, chocolate-dipped

strawberry, and pineapple
wedge with strawberry (use
one to garnish a prepared
cocktail)

6.Garnish the prepared cocktail. Right after mixing the

cocktail, garnish the cocktail as called for by the
recipe or as desired.
Sprinkle ingredients such as cocoa powder and
ground cinnamon on top of the cocktail. Grate or
zest ingredients such as dark chocolate, nutmeg
and citrus fruits fresh right over the cocktail.
Cocktails made with hot coffee or hot chocolate
(usually referred to as "warmers"), such as Irish
Cream Coffee and Black Forest Hot Chocolate may
be topped with whipped cream, and then
garnished with grated chocolate, cocoa powder or
a maraschino cherry.
You can also float the garnish on the surface of the
cocktail. Float coffee beans on frothy cocktails.
Also float citrus spirals and thin fruit wheels (such
as apple wheels) on various cocktails, not just
frothy ones.

Frothy cocktail with grated

dark chocolate garnish

Persimmon wheel floating

in cocktail

Tips
- Always have garnishes prepared and ready before making cocktails.
- Practice making the garnishes before making actual cocktails.
- There are many variations on certain cocktail recipes, and garnishes will vary according to the
recipe.
- Always use fresh, sanitary ingredients for garnishes, as the garnishes are foods and are meant
to be consumed.

Warnings
- Knives and other garnishing tools are sharp and may cause injury if not handled properly and
with care.
- No matter what kind of knife you are using, always make sure it's sharp. A dull knife tends to
do more harm than good.

Things You'll Need

- Garnishing tools (grater, paring knife, channel knife tool for citrus spirals)
- Various garnishes (depending on your drinks)-maraschino cherries, citrus fruits, etc.

How to Make a Bloody Bull

A Bloody Bull is a tomato-based cocktail that is made
with beef bouillon.
Ingredients
Salt
1 oz vodka
1/2 glass beef bouillon
1/2 glass tomato juice
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Dash Tabasco sauce (optional)
Ground pepper (optional)
1 lime wheel
1 lemon wedge
Steps
1. Rim the glass with salt.
2. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
3. Pour in the vodka.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce.
5. Fill glass halfway with beef bouillon.
6. Top off the glass with tomato juice.
7. Stir the drink.
8. Sprinkle on the black pepper and garnish with lime wheel and lemon wedge.

3 Rim the glass

4 simple garnish

Spirals

Chocolate Full Moon

Ingredients:
Amount
2 Measures
1 Measure
1 Measure

Ingredient
Tequila
De Kuyper Crme
De Cacao Brown
Cream

Method:
Pour all the ingredients into a
shaker with ice and shake. Strain
into a cocktail glass. Garnish
with chocolate shaving if desired.
Additional notes:
Use De Kuyper Crme de Cacao
Dark for the best results.

Garnish:
Chocolate shavings
if desired
Type/Flavour:
Chocolate
Glass:
Martini
A root beer float

The End.!