In the same way that chips are only so good without sauce, we believe cocktails are only so good without garnish. There is a whole theatre behind cocktail making and the enjoying and drinking of a cocktail, too right we say! We don’t just like how our cocktail tastes but we also want it to look special – not just like another vodka and orange juice. Everything from the glass, to the type of ice and the choice of garnish and the garnishing tools, all play an integral part in the cocktail enjoying experience.
Cocktail garnishes in particular are decorative ornaments that add character or style to a cocktail, often related to the flavours or ingredients that have been used to create the cocktail. Depending on the base alcohol of the cocktail, different forms of garnish are used, rum-based cocktails tend to be decorated with tropical-themed garnishes (such as a cocktail parasol) or slices of fruit. Tequila-based drinks on the other hand will nearly always be garnished with a citrus fruit such as a lemon or lime. We have put together a list of some of the best garnishing tools you should have in your toolkit:
The Zester and Canule Cutter – Garnishing Tools
Perhaps one of the most important cocktail garnishing tools in your armoury, our stainless steel zester and canule cutter is the perfect 2 in 1 tool for taking care of all of your fruit related garnish. Lemon peel swirls as pictured above, amongst other fruit peel creations, are very popular amongst bartenders and for good reason. The peel or rind of most fruits contains the highest concentration of flavour and allows for a higher level of artistry and creativity – providing you have the correct tools.
This is where the Beaumont TM zester and canule cutter comes in. The five small, angled circles on the end make for the perfect zester – shredding the skin of all fruits and vegetables with ease. The indented triangular hole is the canule cutter, which quite literally allows you to carve a canule from the rind of the fruit or vegetable in one continuous motion. This is the perfect method for creating everything from orange swirls to cucumber ribbons. Manufactured with an ergonomic design, the stainless steel zester and canule cutter will fit comfortably in the hand allowing for unrivalled control whilst canuling, peeling or zesting.
Although some cocktail bars and restaurants are choosing to take garnish to a new level with larger and more ostentatious choices, many still opt for a stylish and more traditional garnish such as those used in Vodka and Gin based cocktails; a single maraschino cherry, a citrus twist, or perhaps even an olive. You can’t beat a classic.
The Swirl – Garnishing Tools
Beaumont has a a large choice of the best quality garnishing tools available, including 6 1/2 inch and 3 1/2 inch variants on the typical swirled garnish stirrer. What we particularly like about our black and clear swirl garnishing tools is that they are strong enough to sustain multiple olives or pieces of fruit, for example, but also slim and dainty enough to barley be noticed. Depending on the size of the glass as well as the size of the garnish a longer rather than shorter garnishing tool is sometimes required:
The Cocktail Stick – Garnishing Tools
Sometimes you just cannot beat the original and when it comes to the original garnishing tool we look to none other than the cocktail stick, of course. This thin, pointy piece of wood even takes its name from its original application – as a cocktail stick funnily enough. Used mainly to suspend pieces of fruit above the cocktail while straddling the glass, the cocktail stick is by far the most simple and easy to use of all the garnishing tools we have on offer:
Cocktail Parasol – Garnishing Tools
The cocktail stick may have been the original but arguably the cocktail parasol is a timeless classic. Often used in rum based drinks and tropical drinks, the cocktail parasol ushers in a feeling of being in an exotic place or consuming exotic food or drink – nearly always found in hot destinations around the world, the cocktail parasol is also great at reminding customers of that holiday feeling, taking them back to that sun bed on the beach. Available in a range of colours our cocktail parasols are fully functioning parasols, although we wouldn’t advise using them to shelter from the elements!
