Bartending 101: Glassware

Every good bar is stocked with nice glassware. If you're looking to build a basic selection for a small at-home bar, you're going to want to at least have a few of these four different types of glassware:

Highball: Highball glasses are typically used in drink that have a high proportion of mixer to liquor, like rum and cokes, gin and tonics, and scotch and sodas. They generally hold 8 to 12 ounces.



Lowball: A lowball glass, also known as an Old Fashioned Glass or Rocks glass, is a smaller glass that is generally used for alcohol served on ice, or "on the rocks," as the name implies. 6 ro 8 ounces is a standard rocks glass size.



Red Wine Glass: This doesn't need much explanation other than it's okay to also serve white wine in this glass, if you are just starting your glassware collection and it's either one or the other.



Shot Glass: Though there are a wide variety of shot glasses available in thousands of shapes and sizes, a standard single shotglass is 1.5 ounces and used for serving shots or to measure alcohol into mixed cocktails.



If you've got all those and you're looking to expand your assortment, you might consider the following:

Beerware: A pint glass is the perfect vessel for your draft beer if you're lucky enough to have the space and resources available to keep kegs in your home bar. Frosted mugs always are appreciated when serving suds, and although a Pilsner glass is traditionally for beer, margaritas, pina coladas and other frozen cocktails present beautifully in this tall, slender glass.

Martini and Margarita Glasses: Shaken or stirred, you're going to want a martini glass to serve the traditional olive-laden drink, as well as trendy drinks like Cosmopolitans and Chocolate Martinis with swirls of chocolate sauce decorating the inside of the glass. And a salt-rimmed margarita glass is a perfect presentation for on the rocks and frozen tequila delight.

Irish Coffee Glass: Topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon or chocolate shavings, this glass makes an Irish coffee or any other hot drink look good!

Vodka 101

This week Wine Supervisor David Rudd, mixologist extraordinaire, gives us the low down on one of the most popular distilled beverages, Vodka!

"I <3 Vodka"

Dear Readers:  Thanks for checking out the blog!  I appreciate your questions and comments and it is always good to know you're enjoying some of the ideas we share here.  Today I have a shout out for a new reader in Maryland.  She writes that she's curious about vodka cocktails after flirting with rum for a while; however she is apprehensive about the spirit.  After hearing some horror stories about headaches and hangovers she is concerned that this hard liquor might be too hard.  Is it okay to switch?  Heck yeah, Sondra!  It's time to expand your horizons!  I'm sure you know, as with any spirit you need to know your limits.  A good rule of thumb to follow:  enjoy a glass of pure water along with every adult beverage you try.  Remember, any spirit may contain some trace impurities, so go slowly and pay attention to the way you feel.  If I could put a warning label on this one, it would say "If a rash develops, discontinue use and seek medical attention"!  I’m only kidding; a rash probably won't develop... but if it does – DEFINITELY GO SEE A DOCTOR. 

In all seriousness, vodka is one versatile spirit that is worth investigating.  Vodka is a rectified spirit, which means that it is distilled multiple times and filtered to remove impurities.  It is usually made from grain, but could be made from potatoes, fruit, or even sugar - just like rum.  Vodka can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed into cocktails. 

Bloody Mary, Gimlet, and Cosmopolitan all have vodka as the primary spirit - and they are delicious.  Try them.  Here are a few more recipes to try:

Cucumber Cooler
1 2" piece of cucumber thinly sliced
1/8 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ oz vodka
½ oz simple syrup
¼ c. crushed ice

In your dry cocktail shaker, muddle together the cucumber and thyme and then add the ice with the other ingredients.  Shake for an 8 count and pour contents into a glass.

Harvest Cooler
2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz. agave nectar
5 cubes of watermelon
Soda water

In your dry cocktail shaker smash the watermelon cubes and then add the other ingredients with some ice cubes.  Shake for an 8 count and pour into a Collins glass.  Top up with soda water.

Voodoo (serves 4)
1 c. vodka
1 c. mango nectar
8 lime wedges
12 mint leaves
Soda water

In a pitcher mash the lime wedges and mint leaves together.  Add the vodka and mango nectar and give a stir.  Top up with soda water stir again.  Pour into iced glasses.

Spiced Pear
1 oz. vodka
1 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. pear nectar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon sugar

In an iced cocktail shaker combine ingredients and shake for a 12 count.  Pour contents into a glass.

Easter Sunrise
1 ½ oz citrus flavored vodka
½ oz. Campari™
½ oz. Cinzano™ Bianco Vermouth
1 ½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice

In a chilled cocktail shaker, combine ingredients and shake for an 8 count.  Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Sour is Sweet

There are a few staples you need to keep in your home bar to keep it well stocked. A selection of spirits and glassware is a good start, as well as a variety of juices and garnishes, but if you keep yourself stocked with one versatile ingredient, your options will be greatly expanded.

That ingredient? Sour mix.

There are plenty of pre-made sour mixes available to buy, but it's really just a mixture of approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup. If you're making a specific cocktail that you want perfected you might not want to generalize, but if a wide menu of options to satisfy many different tastes is what you're going for, then a supply of sour will be perfect.

What can you make with sour mix? The options are seemingly endless.

Add rum and ice and blend it all together and it's a Daiquiri! Serve them plain or add strawberries, bananas or mango for a fruity flair.

In a blender, combine sour mix, tequila, a little lime juice and Cointreau. Add ice and blend, or serve it on the rocks and you've got yourself a margarita. (I prefer mine on the rocks, with salt, please.)

Put away the blender, but keep out the sour mix. It goes beautifully with so many different types of liquor. Take out your shaker and lowball glasses and please your guests with Amaretto Sours, Midori Sours (which also happen to be delicious frozen) or Whiskey Sours.

Highball glasses get along well with Sour Mix as well: Long Island Iced Teas combine a powerful combination of Vodka, Gin, Rum, Tequila, Triple Sec, Sour mix and a splash of Coca-Cola. A Short Island Iced Tea is SoCo, Captain Morgan Rum, Sour Mix and Coca-Cola.

What are your favorite Sweet and Sour drinks?