Muddling Tips and Tricks!
Why use a cocktail muddler? Bartenders use them to break up fresh ingredients in a cocktail or mocktail, and you can too! Today I am sharing a few ingredients to use with a muddle and some tips.
Herbs- Herbs are a great addition to many cocktails and really elevate your flavor. I love a gardeny cocktail and herbs are a great way to introduce some new flavors! The most common herbs to use in a cocktail are mint, rosemary, lavender, and basil. These herbs add a nice aroma and accentuate fruit flavors that may be in your drink. Make sure to use light pressure as to no make them bitter!
Fruits- We muddle fruit to extract their juice. This provides flavor and a beautiful color to your cocktail. Citrus not only adds flavor from their juice but also oils from their peels. Many fruits require a lot of force to muddle but be careful with your peels. Overmuddling your peels can make the taste very bitter!
Vegetables- Veggies provide flavor and color from their juice just like fruits. I typicially dice veggies like cucumbers before our events so that they are easier to muddle. With most vegetables use a lot of pressure and get a muddle with teeth on it. Don't worry about over muddling your veggies!
Spices- Ginger, cardamom, and peppercorn provide a nice kick to your cocktail or mocktail. Muddle these gently even though they can be tough to muddle. You don't want them to overpower your drink! You can skip muddling these spices and place them in a simple syrup as well!
Sugar Cubes- Some cocktails like a mojito require sugar rather than simple syrup. They will dissolve quicker if you add some liquid before muddling. Don't worry about over muddling unless there is another ingredient like mint in your shaker!
My favorite muddled cocktail is our blackberry jalapeƱo margarita. Check our blog post for the recipe!
