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a home + living guide for the post-college, pre-parenthood, quasi-adult generation

01.17.2002

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drink dress- ups
a brief guide to garnishing cocktails | 1 2 3 4 5
continued from page 3

sweet garnishes for hot drinks
whipped cream Barring extreme circumstances that prevent you from accessing a carton of heavy whipping cream, whipped cream should always, always, be fresh-made and not from a can. The canned stuff just doesn’t come close to approximating the flavor and delicate texture of homemade whipped cream. Besides, it’s a no-brainer to make. Just dump some cold whipping cream into a mixing bowl (you can also add sugar, vanilla extract, or whatever other flavorings suit your fancy), and beat it on high until the cream can hold nice, stiff peaks. Just be careful not to beat too long – unless you want to end up with butter.
use with: english coffee, irish coffee

cinnamon stick Cinnamon sticks have more flavor than the ground cinnamon that’s been sitting around in your spice rack for years, and as an added bonus, look mighty pretty to boot. The bulk spice sections of health food markets are the best place to pick up whole sticks of cinnamon.
use with: hot buttered rum, hot toddy

the garnish essentials
Keep the following on hand and you’ll have the bare basics of what you need to garnish the most commonly asked-for cocktails:
1 jar green olives with pimento
1 jar maraschino cherries
fresh lemons
fresh limes

salty garnishes
Big green olives pre-stuffed with bright red pimento are, of course, the standard for the classic martini, but play around with other gourmet olives as well (the almond-stuffed kind are particularly tasty). You can also substitute black olives or cocktail onions for a change of pace.
use with: martini

minty fresh garnish
Mint grows really easily, so it’s a great idea to keep a little potted mint plant in your kitchen. You can then pluck off sprigs of fresh mint whenever you happen to need it.
use with: mojito

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