Many chefs complain about our habit of drinking cocktails before sitting down to a meal. Most people find a few rounds of cocktails can get things off to a rolling start, but you can see their point: they want us paying attention to the tastes of their food, instead of just focussing on not sliding…
Alcohol
Bitters
Bitters is a generic term for aromatic infusions made from herbs, seeds, fruit peel, roots, spices and bark. Their flavours are extracted by soaking them in alcohol which is then distilled to concentrate the flavours. The infusions have a very high alcohol content, and as their name would imply, a very bitter taste, which often…
Cocktail Day
The 24th of March is Cocktail Day. What a great day to get together with some friends at your favourite bar for a cocktail or two. Or, host a DIY cocktail bar and invite friends over!
Cocktails
A cocktail is a mixed alcoholic beverage. It can be warm or cold, sweet or dry, and be served in the morning, afternoon or evening.
End of Prohibition
December 5th marks the day in 1933 when Prohibition ended in the U.S. People began toasting the occasion immediately: but where did all the booze suddenly appear from?
Fruit Cups (Alcholic)
A Fruit Cup is a concentrated alcoholic drink mixer from which you make a “long drink”; that is, a tall drink, meant to be sipped slowly. You pour a small amount of it into a glass, over ice, and then top up with a soft drink such as fizzy lemonade, or, mix with up in…
Jiggers
A jigger is a small cup-like measuring tool used primarily in making mixed alcoholic drinks.
Liqueurs
A Liqueur is a strong, concentrated alcohol — such as brandy, rum, whiskey or neutral grain spirits — infused with flavouring. There are three main types: fruit, herb and other. Almost always quite sweet, they are served in small quantities as after dinner “digestive” beverages to help meals settle. They are also used for flavouring…
Spirits
Spirits are alcohol that is generally about 40% alcohol. They are produced by first fermenting something to produce the alcohol, then distilling the alcohol to concentrate the alcohol content. Spirits can’t be produced by fermentation alone, because fermentation can only get up to a maximum of 16 or 17 % alcohol. The word “spirits” is…
World Cocktail Day
The 13th of May is World Cocktail Day. Cocktails are a fun way to get friends together. Host a DIY cocktail party!