So we are deep into winter, winter isn’t coming – it is well and truly here. We still have a good few months of this left, as we know all too well in the UK. And so as the seasons change so will your offering to your customers, out go the stacks of ice buckets, ice creams, and crushed ice cocktails. In come the winter warmer cocktails, hot toddies, countless teas and coffees and good old fashioned hearty food.
Statistically speaking it is also when we are all more likely to meet up for large group meals, whether these be at someones house, a fancy restaurant or the local pub. There must be something about the cold that taps into our primal instincts of wanting to be close to the ones we enjoy and love – oh and not forgetting family!
There are some key tools you are going to want to make sure you have in stock and ready to go to get you through these winter months and in true Beaumont TM style – we have put together a little list of some of those we think you may well need in the dark but cosy days ahead.
Corkscrews
Wine tends to be one of the main drinks of choice during the winter months. Whether that is mulled wine or warmed wine – a hearty glass of red always goes down well and certainly matches up with the feeling of the winter period. It also tends to be a great accompaniment for many a winter dish, although in our eyes red wine is the perfect accompaniment to everything.
Although not exclusively used for wine our wide selection of corkscrews all have their different advantages. Perhaps it is a bottle of port you are uncorking for your guests, perhaps a full bodied Cote du Rhone – either way one of the greatest and finest of cork screws is of course the twin lever corkscrew (as pictured above). Perhaps you are more of a waiters friend kind of person, another long standing entree in the corkscrew category it really comes down to preference at the end of the day.
And let us not forget the double reach corkscrew of course. A nice modern take on the waiters friend, we have to say we like a good double reach too (although despite the name it wont help you reach any further…)
Cocktails
One of the other major seasonal selections of the drinks world during winter is of course the winter toddy. We have put together a list of a few good winter toddies over the time but these of course do not just magic themselves out of thin air…. Sorry we were just imagining cocktails appearing out of thin air. Back to it. You will of course need many of the cocktail tools you need for making any other cocktail. Including of course some tin on tin cocktail shakers, one of our fine mezclar mixing glasses, and a bar spoon or two to measure and stir.
Remember though of course those hot winter cocktails are usually quite hot and just as the summer versions can be quite cold, making sure you shake and make that cocktail quick will save your tins from heating up too much. This is why the mixing glass is a preferred method for many a hot winter cocktail mixture. Throw in a few more essentials such as your choice of strainer, measure and Mexican elbow fruit squeezer and you have everything you need to make the cocktails to warm your cockles. There is of course one last accompaniment that is needed for many a winter cocktail, the nutmeg grater. Without the aroma of nutmeg emanating from the top of your hot drink or hot toddy – is it even winter?
