There are occasions when I read something that gives me an 'aha' moment, that succinctly crystalizes many pieces of information into a significant and new conclusion. Mark Bittman's column on becoming your own mixologist in a June, 2008 Minimalist column was just one such piece of writing (reminder--if there is a link associated with a blog post, you can just click on the title of the blog and it will take you there--which is the way to get to the Bittman piece in this case). It simplified the art of mixology down to it's componenet parts. It goes something like this: there is the alcohol of choice (rum, scotch, bourbon, , then there is achieving the perfect blend of the sweet and the sour elements to ones taste. So take bourbon for instance. You can add bitters and sweet vermouth for a Manhattan, or you can lemon and simple syrup for a Whiskey Sour. The proportions of the sweet to the sour matter, and are subject to individual preference. Bittman suggests that the key to mixing dozens of drinks rewquires nothing more than the raw ingredients and a knowledge of ones personal ratio preferences, and a can of a clear carbonated beverage to rectify the occasional error in judgement.
My children are moving out of our house and we are in the process of re-evaluating what we have two of that they could have one of, as well as what we have that could be upgraded to an improved device. In the pursuit of the perfect in-home mixologist, I got my husband a new cocktail shaker for the holiday season. I have already conceded that the position is unlikely to be filled by myself. I purchased the Metrokane Flip-Top Cocktail Shaker, and it has a number of improvements over the one we have been using--no lid to lose (that loss led to the demise of our 1950's shaker), insulated (so the drink does not get diluted too quickly), shapely and pleasing to the eye. A good addition.
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