Garnish coctail. The art of decorating drinks

In recent times, we have been paying more and more attention to the aesthetic value of consumed dishes and drinks. We like it when the served dish looks impressive on the plate, and the prepared drink delights with its unique appearance. Meal celebration has become a fashion that is fueled by the ever-growing number of internet and TV chefs.

Apart from the chefs, a wide range of possibilities is available for bartenders, for whom "garnishing", or decorating drinks, has become a popular practice in everyday work. Contrary to appearances, however, the art of bartending is reserved not only for professionals - you can also be an excellent bartender at home. With a few simple additions and knowledge of the basic technique of decorating drinks, our home-made Piña colada or Margarita can delight many guests.

What is the purpose of decorating drinks and beverages?

At the beginning, it is worth knowing that drinks are garnished not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to strengthen, supplement or break the flavor. However, it is extremely important to use moderation in the decoration of the drink . Garnishing aims to diversify and complete the flavor composition, so the additives used should not be dominant. The type of drink also depends on the decorations selected for it. It is enough to add green olive to one drink, while another will be perfect for colorful umbrellas, fancifully cut fruits or aromatic herbs. Here are some home drink decoration ideas:

Fruit slices

The most popular decoration technique in the art of bartending is decorating drinks with fruit. Pieces of lemon, lime, grapefruit, pineapple or orange are perfect for this. The cut slice should be put on the edge of the glass or glass. An interesting idea is also to cut the fruit with a cookie cutter of a non-standard shape, e.g. stars, hearts or Christmas trees.

Candied cocktail cherries

Cocktail cherries are a proven patent for the garnishing of drinks with grenadine or green drinks. The fruit can be thrown into the drink or cut and put on the edge of the glass. Its color can complement the composition or, on the contrary, contrast with it. Candied cherry can also be placed in a lemon slice. It is enough to stick a toothpick into the bottom edge of the citrus, then pierce the cherry with it, and finally bend the lemon in such a way that it closes the cherry on the other side.

Citrus spirals

Unusual decorations for drinks can also be made of effectively twisted lemon, lime or orange peels. It is important that the citrus serpentine is as long as possible (12 cm and more). The peel of the fruit should be twisted and then fancifully wrapped around the straw. A decorative citrus knife can be useful for such a procedure.

Colorful umbrellas, stirrers and straws

The most commonly used bartending accessories when decorating drinks are, above all, the well-known colorful umbrellas, stirrers and straws. Umbrellas will make the drink prepared by us take on an exotic, summer character. Stirrers in addition to their practical function, diversify the appearance of our composition. You can make them yourself by sticking the pieces of fruit on a toothpick with a melon spoon and balls. The decoration will be completed with drink tubes , which are selected to match the color of the drink.

Olives

Latte Art

Latte Art is the art of creating patterns and drawings on the surface of coffee, perfected by the most experienced baristas. The fashion for this type of decorations came to us from overseas, where it developed in the 1980s. Patterns can be made in two ways: with the use of frothed milk poured directly from the jug or using special accessories, e.g. toothpicks, sticks, stencils or the right sauces. It is important that the milk froth is about 60-65 ° C and that it has the thickness of yogurt - it must be thick enough not to dissolve in the coffee, and at the same time liquid enough to easily spill from the jug into the cup. For more information on latte art, click here .

Frost effect

The frost effect on the glass, i.e. crusting consists in dipping the rim of the glass, first in juice (e.g. lemon), and then in the selected loose additive. Most often it is sugar or salt, but grated citrus peel, grated chocolate, cocoa, fresh herbs or coconut shavings will also work great. The classic combination of lemon juice and salt is used to decorate Margarita. When creating the so-called Crust must not be forgotten that it is not only to please the eye, but also to be an integral part of the taste of the drink, consistent with the whole. In a word - it must fit.

Glass