Two rules first
These recipes are for adults of legal drinking age, and each glass holds between one and a half and two standard drinks, so one or two is an evening. The technique is simple. Drinks containing citrus juice are shaken hard with ice for 10 to 12 seconds. Drinks made only of spirits are stirred with ice for 20 to 30 seconds, which keeps them clear and silky. The melted ice is an ingredient and not a flaw. Chill the glass in the freezer for ten minutes beforehand.
The old fashioned
This is the pattern of spirit, sugar and bitters.
- Combine two ounces of bourbon or rye, one teaspoon of simple syrup and two or three dashes of aromatic bitters in a mixing glass.
- Add ice and stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain the drink over one large ice cube in a rocks glass.
- Cut a strip of orange peel, squeeze it over the surface to release its oils, and drop it in.
The common faults are too much sugar and a muddled fruit salad in the bottom of the glass.
The daiquiri
This is the sour pattern of spirit, citrus and sweetener. Shake two ounces of light rum, one ounce of fresh lime juice and three-quarters of an ounce of simple syrup with plenty of ice, and strain it into a chilled stemmed glass. Taste and adjust, because limes vary. Once you have the ratio, you have a family of drinks. Whiskey with lemon juice makes a whiskey sour. Tequila with lime juice, and orange liqueur in place of most of the syrup, makes a margarita.
The Manhattan
This is the pattern of spirit and vermouth. Stir two ounces of rye or bourbon, one ounce of sweet vermouth and two dashes of aromatic bitters with ice, strain the drink into a chilled stemmed glass, and garnish it with a cherry. Replace the whiskey with gin and the sweet vermouth with a smaller measure of dry vermouth, and you are making a martini. The vermouth must be fresh, which means refrigerated and opened within the last month or two.
Serving them well
Measure every pour with a jigger. Serve water alongside, put out something to eat, and offer the same care to a guest who wants a drink without alcohol. Lime juice, syrup and soda water over ice is a respectable one.
Tip Squeeze citrus no more than a few hours ahead and keep it cold. Juice that sat overnight is the usual reason a home cocktail tastes dull.
