When we're not enjoying cocktails at the best bars in Toronto, the foodism team is at home shaking up our own drinks, whether it's to impress friends and family or simply for the art of creating something new. Along the way, we've picked up a few home bartending hacks that have saved our serves on more than one occasion. While anyone can follow cocktail recipes or pour a great bottle of wine, there are those special tricks and tips that pro bartenders use to take their creations to the next level.
For the first instalment of foodism's tips, we're sharing our best home bar heroes, from bar cart staples and ingredients we always have on hand to hosting hacks that will help you actually have time enjoy your dinner party alongside your guests. And these home bartending tips don't only apply to alcoholic drinks — they still work if you're making mocktail recipes or pouring non-alc serves.
Dust off your bar cart, bust out your best glassware and open up your home bar for business — our home bartending tips will revolutionize the way you serve your drinks at a party or any day of the week. Cheers.
foodism's tips: home bartending
Batch, Natch
It happens every time I throw a party: Part-way through the night, everyone gets wine and beer fatigue, and suddenly I’m shaking up cocktails for 10 people. And because this wasn’t part of the plan, I don’t actually have enough ingredients to make 10 of the exact same cocktail, so I start to improvise, and it all goes downhill from there.
After many a painful, sour-tasting lesson, now I always make at least one large-format batched cocktail ahead of the party and serve it in a pitcher. I encourage my guests to go right into the fridge and help themselves, saving me the time and energy of running around making sure everyone’s glass is full. You can batch almost any cocktail by multiplying all of the ingredient amounts by 10, 15 or 20 — just double check your math and be sure to taste test before the first guest arrives.
Perfect Pair
Pairing isn’t just something that’s reserved for fancy restaurants with multi-course tasting menus. Anytime that food and drink are served alongside each other, they can both benefit from a little effort to ensure they actually go together and that the flavours are balanced — even if you’re just having takeout at home on a Friday night.
Nothing spoils my stomach faster than being served a hefty, meaty cabernet sauvignon with a delicate fish dish. While there’s a whole art to pairing based on specific bottles, there are general rules that anyone can follow without having to shell out a whole lot of time or money. Lighter dishes like seafood, salads or vegetables pair well with subtle, refreshing and citrus flavours, whether that’s in a cocktail or a glass of white wine. More robust cocktails and full-bodied red wines are enhanced by smokey, grilled meat or beef, whether that’s steak or a smash burger. If you’re in the mood to mix up a sweet and sour cocktail, try pairing it with pork, while herbal drinks go well with roast chicken. Champagne and oysters are an iconic combination for a reason, but there are lots of light little appys that will go with your bottle of bubbly.
Freezer Flex
After years of eagle-eyeing mixologists from my perch at the bar (in a professional capacity, of course), I’ve picked up a few tricks. One of the simplest came from watching Rob Granicolo, one of the founders of Miami Vice-esque cocktail bar Le Tigre in Rosedale, pull a fresh tray of icy-cold martini glasses straight from the freezer.
Until then, I thought filling a waiting cocktail glass with ice and cold water while I shook things up was pretty slick. But now I make a little show of whipping frosty glasses from the freezer whenever guests are over. It’s wonderfully simple, works for any cocktail best served just north of the North Pole, and never fails to draw a few gasps of approval — and a hush of reverence for such an “insider” hack.
Best of the Zest
I’m all for convenience when it comes to hosting — anything I can operate one-handed from a squeezy bottle, that doesn’t involve a tangle of gadgets, and can help dial down the cocktail bedlam is a win in my book. However, after much testing, I’ve concluded that some shortcuts — like store-bought lemon or lime juice — are simply no match for the real thing. Freshly squeezed citrus doesn’t just taste better in a bee’s knees or French 75, it also doubles as a garnish.
Keep one lemon aside for zesting so you can create the perfect twist (it’s always easiest to peel a strip from a ripe, unblemished one), and use the others for juicing to get that unmistakably bright, fresh citrus flavour in your drinks. I haven’t tried this hack yet, but I have it on good authority that you can freeze lemon and lime juice in ice-cube trays, ready to pop out at a moment’s notice — no last-minute dash to the store required.
Nice Ice
In this economy, not everyone owns an icemaker. There’s a simple solution to this, though, and it only requires a teeny bit of prep. Simply invest in a small or medium-size plastic container, pop it in the freezer, and in the days leading up to your gathering, fill it up with ice cubes. Bam — on the day, you’ve got a bounty of cubes for your old fashioneds, or batched bevvies.
Also, it’s a small thing, but attention to detail is what makes a good host. When you’re filling your ice trays or molds, boil the water first. After you freeze it, your ice comes out clear, which is a lovely little touch that your guests absolutely will notice.
Pick Me, Chickpea
Even if you aren’t inviting any vegans to your party, swapping egg whites for aquafaba (the juice from a can of chickpeas) is a great idea. Not only is it cheap, it can last up to 10 days in an airtight container in the fridge (compared to just two to four for the animal-based option) and functions exactly like egg whites — simply add it to your mixer along with all your other whisky sour ingredients, give it a vigorous shake, and you’ve got yourself a stable, silky foam top.
Aquafaba is largely indistinguishable from its chicken sister, but if there is any difference, it’s a positive one — any hint of eggy sulpher is banished from your cocktail recipe that you’ve worked so hard to perfect.
