Cocktail – What is actually a cocktail?
Everyone knows the cocktails and everyone has drunk and even mixed them. They’re sweet, contain sodas and juices, and shouldn’t be missing at any bar or good party.
But, what is Cocktail actually?
The term cocktail generally refers to an alcoholic mixed drink consisting of two or more ingredients, at least one of which is alcoholic. Today, of course, there are also non-alcoholic versions of the cocktails. It is a mixed drink made exclusively from non-alcoholic ingredients. The cocktail is usually prepared with ice in a shaker or directly in a serving glass and is often served with fruit or other specialties. Every cocktail recipe usually has a catchy name. Some of the mixed drinks are internationally famous and can be prepared by any bartender in the world. The word itself originated around 1800 and at that time simply referred to a stimulating beverage made from various spirits, sugar, and herbs. In modern times, cocktail is a general term for almost any alcoholic mixed drink, regardless of how many ingredients are in it.
Short drinks and long drinks
As a rule, cocktails are divided into short drinks and long drinks. This classification is based on the volume the cocktail contains. Short drinks are drinks containing up to 10 cl of liquid. They are mostly served without additional additives (direct) and also without ice. The long drink contains between 15 cl and 20 cl of liquid and is served in a glass with ice and fruit. A beverage group called Shooter continued to order very small cocktails, mostly 2cl to 4cl, that’s how today’s shot is known. However, according to another legend, this word originated from the fact that the previous price of a pistol bullet (shot) was the same as for a short alcoholic drink.
What ingredients are in cocktails?
An alcoholic cocktail consists of at least one alcoholic drink and other mixed drinks. Alcoholic beverages are vodka, gin, whiskey, brandy, rum, liqueur, tequila or champagne. These alcoholic drinks always form the basis of a cocktail, as they are responsible for the main taste. Also, there is the so-called modifier. This was a second alcoholic beverage that slightly changed the taste of the cocktail, but still left the direction the same. Not every cocktail has a modifier. Finally comes the mixing or flavoring part. These are the ingredients that give the cocktail the sweetness that usually comes from fruit juices or sweet sodas. Citrus juices are often used for juices, but the “sour” flavor is also very well known, in which pure lemon juice is used to produce an extremely sour taste. These mixtures are often mixed with sugar, where more brown sugar is used. It is attached to the bottom or edge of the glass.
Eggs and cream are found in cocktails when making a frothy drink. There is also one last and very important ingredient – ice cream. Most cocktails get their flavor from being served ice cold. The amount of ice can be more than half the glass, which some customers call robbery. As a rule, the cocktail will not taste particularly good with less ice. The ice is served in the form of ice cubes or as crushed ice.
Preparation of Cocktails
As a rule of thumb, ingredients are measured by eye only, as it would not be possible to measure each ingredient very precisely in the catering trade. Therefore, the taste of each cocktail is unique. Most of the information is given here in either centiliters or fluid ounces. A shaker is usually used for preparation. This is a container that can be filled with liquid and closed. The ingredients are then mixed by shaking and finally poured into a glass over ice. Some other cocktails are simply mixed or stacked.
After the cocktail is prepared, the glass in which the cocktail will be served is usually decorated. The fruit is often pinned to the rim or the rim of the glass is decorated with sugar or coconut flakes. This has made the maraschino cherry so famous that it graces almost every cocktail in the world as an extremely sweet cherry on a toothpick. Umbrellas hardly ever fit in cocktail glasses and are almost considered fake. In trendy bars, guests are often given lighted buckeye sticks with their cocktails for a relaxed atmosphere.
Cocktails at parties
Cocktails at parties create a great and relaxed atmosphere. Cooking together can be a lot of fun. Here you should limit yourself to just a few cocktails, as the wide variety of ingredients is usually relatively expensive.