A few years ago I was at a party were I didn’t know the hostess. She was really doing her thing, she had everything perfectly under control, we we’re having a blast, the drinks were flowing and all I wanted to do was follow this little man around that was carrying the most amazing shrimp puff things. Most people were drinking wine but as the evening wore on and everyone loosened up she asked if there were any cocktail requests. What she did next made me determined to be proficient in the art of home bar tending.
With some requests taken she popped to the bar, flicked her wrists, cut some limes, shook the martini shaker and bam – In front of her were some delicious cocktails. The men were all drooling over her, since somehow she managed to look sexy while doing all of this and I just shook my head. I’m a great hostess if I say so myself but the few times I’ve tried to make a martini for someone they end up scrunching their face in distaste, drinking it anyways and then being completely drunk because I made them way too strong… whoops! So then and there I decided to learn how to make a proper cocktail! Below are 4 classic drinks that most people should know and enjoy. Study them, make them, taste them (and throw out the ones you will inevitably mess up) and then go shine like a little cocktail making beacon that you are!
Negroni
Ingredients
1 ¼ oz Hendrick’s Gin
1 ¼ oz Campari
1 ¼ oz Carpano Antica
Orange peel
Ice cubes
Instructions
Fill an Old Fashioned glass with large ice cubes. Combine ingredients in glass and stir well. Garnish with a freshly peeled and twisted orange peel so that the orange oil sits on top of the cocktail.
Manhattan
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz 100-proof rye whiskey
1 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions
Pour the whiskey, vermouth, liqueur, and bitters into a mixing glass. Add large cold ice cubes and stir for 40 revolutions. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.
Vodka Martini
Ingredients
3 oz vodka
1/2 oz of dry vermouth
3.4 oz of olive brine
Instructions
Pour all of your ingredients into a cocktail shaker that is half filled with ice. Shake your drink well and then strain it into a chilled Martini glass. Now, garnish with two olives and serve.
Moscow Mule
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
4 oz chilled ginger beer
Instructions
Fill a copper Moscow Mule mug with cracked ice, add vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with spent lime shell.
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