For The Holidays: Create A Custom Cocktail
Hosting a holiday party this year? Make it a memorable one for your guests by creating your own special cocktail, one that will be talked about for years to come.
A cocktail can be made from just about any combination of at least 2 different liquids, yet many recipes call for 4 or more. We find a 3 ingredient bingo-bango-bongo approach works well. Familiarize yourself with the role of each of these three parts and test various combinations to create a unique cocktail:
Bingo – the first ingredient in the glass, the base for the cocktail. It’s alcohol, of course; gin, vodka, rye, scotch, rum, tequila – just to name the more common ones. If you have a favourite – maybe rum was the base of that cocktail you enjoyed so much at the Jones’ soiree – start with that.
Bango – the secondary liquid – a partner to the alcohol base. The bango modifies the base flavour, but leaves it recognizable. Juices are popular, as are sweet or dry vermouth, liqueurs, fortified wines and even cream.
Bongo – some additional flavouring to further enhance your cocktail – often just a ‘splash’. Adding a dash or two of bitters, sugar – to take the tang out of citrus, spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, coffee, hot sauce, etc. can be very effective in making your custom holiday cocktail truly one-of-a-kind and memorable.
Don’t forget to crown your creation! A garnish of a simple lemon or lime wedge works well, as does adding a celery stick, ‘rimming’ the glass with salt and spice, or adding a straw of a particular colour.
Get creative and have fun testing your ideas at home well before your party – when you have no need to drive anywhere. Make small portions – so you don’t get too inebriated – but enough to get a true taste of your creation.
Cocktail Tips;
- Taste-testing is best done with at least one other person. The additional feedback will ensure you don’t end up making a cocktail only you enjoy.
- Try starting with a tried and true recipe and switching an ingredient, such as pear juice for orange juice, or a cherry-flavoured liqueur for cointreau (orange). Or vary the amounts.
- If your special cocktail recipe calls for sugar, make some simple sweet syrup of equal parts water and sugar ahead of time, so you don’t get gritty cocktails because the sugar doesn’t dissolve completely.
- If possible, make a ‘virgin’ version of your cocktail so any designated drivers don’t feel left out.
Courtesy: Lighthouse Inspections