Toasting at home: six tips to improve your cocktails

Measure accurately

There's no better way to ensure your cocktails turn out perfectly than by measuring ingredients consistently and accurately. You'll be amazed at the difference. For home use, instead of the jigger used in bars, which requires quite a bit of practice to use correctly, I recommend a mini measuring jug with measurements in milliliters and ounces, so you can make recipes from either side of the Atlantic. You can also buy mini jugs with milliliter measurements at a very reasonable price in chemical supply stores.

Make cocktails in large batches…

At a celebration, serving cocktails that can be prepared in pitchers or large batches makes toasting much easier. Punches and sangrias are the most popular, but any cocktail can be made in a larger format.

To calculate a large batch, take the recipe in ml of a cocktail and multiply it by 10. If the cocktail is normally shaken or mixed with ice before serving, multiply the total ingredients by 0.2 (20%) and add this amount of water to replace the dilution of the ice. If the recipe includes saline solution or bitters, I recommend starting with double the amount of the original recipe instead of multiplying by 10. Taste it, and you can add more as needed. And if the cocktail calls for fresh juice, it's important to squeeze it the same day and add it just before serving. The same applies if you're adding bubbles.

…and make the most of your freezer

Make a batch of Negronis with 250 ml of gin, 150 ml of sweet vermouth, 150 ml of Campari, and 150 ml of filtered water. Bottle it and freeze it. When guests arrive, you'll have a cocktail ready to serve, with or without ice, perfectly diluted. Just add an orange twist or half-moon and you're done.

This trick also works for Martinis, Manhattans, Boulevardiers, Old Fashioneds, and other spirit-forward or strong cocktails. The key is dilution before freezing. I recommend starting with 25-28% water; you can adjust the ratio to your liking.

This is how we make our Martinis at the bar, because it gives them a silky texture and the perfect temperature every time. Almost impossible to achieve by mixing on the spot.

Ice, ice, baby

Buy a couple of these silicone ice cube molds. At home, I have ones for making regular cubes, large cubes, and spheres. Any cocktail (or drink) looks more professional with nicer ice.

Bitter drops are your friends

It adds a certain je ne sais quoi to almost any cocktail. Want more sparkle in your Mule? A dash of Angostura. A Paloma with more character? A dash of Angostura. A Gimlet with some flow? … I think you get the picture. And there are so many interesting bitters options these days (mole, lavender, peach) that you can play with different flavors in your favorite cocktails with just a few drops. I also love sipping bitters in soda when I'm not drinking alcohol; a couple of good drops of bitters gives you a non-alcoholic option that's more interesting than Coke or water.

Quality ingredients make quality cocktails

I know, I know, liquors are expensive, we're in a recession, etc., etc. But please don't use these cheap, colorful mixers in your cocktails. Make a simple syrup at home using sugar, honey, or agave syrup cut with hot water. It literally takes 5 minutes, and you avoid these artificial flavorings and harmful chemicals. Squeeze fresh lime juice instead of using this neon sour mix. It will give you a cocktail a thousand times better. Buy quality orange liqueur for your margarita and use less, complementing it with a little agave syrup. As with any culinary endeavor, the freshness and quality of the ingredients determine the final result.