Recipes and measures.

Cocktails will always have the same look and taste if we strictly fallow recipes. To make a good cocktail, it is not necessary just to use all the ingredients mentioned in the recipe, but also to strictly adhere measures mentioned. It is important to know that, while preparing mixed bar drinks, quantity is calculated in grams, not centiliters which would be logical given that we are mostly working with liquids. This is because mixed drinks are not only prepared with other drinks, and we often use other ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, ice cream, cream, sugar, honey and other.

Mixed drinks, prepared by the European standard measures, can keep their originality, if we stick to the recipe and measures. Measures are divided into quarter measures and thirds. Measures, quarter and thirds, have a common starting point measure - 1 / 1 = 50 grams.

Quarter measures are:

• 1/1 = 50 grams

• 1/2 = 25 grams

• 1/4 = 12 grams

• 1/8 = 6 grams

Thirds measures are:

• 1/1 = 50 grams

• 2/3 = 34 grams

• 1/3 = 17 grams

• 1/6 = 8 grams

Tenth measures are:

• 1/10 = 5 grams

• 1/5 = 10 grams

You will not find a measurement like this in every place. So, it is good to known and other measures that are being used in recipes.

Dash – this is one of the smallest measurements. It is equal to 1/8 or 6 grams (drops).
Bar spoon – about 8 grams or 1/6.
Liqueur glass – about 25 grams.
Wine glass – about 80 grams.
Cocktail glass – about 50 grams.
Glass for other drinks or non-alcoholic drinks – from 120-125 grams.
 

Typical American unit of measure is jigger, and it is corresponding to quantity of 40 grams or 4/5.

Properly written recipes includes a method of preparing mixed drinks or cocktails.

Due to technical possibilities and our aim to make a better mixed drink, we distinguish 4 basic ways of preparation:

• directly in the glass in which we serve the drink,

• in barglass,

• with hand mixer or shaker,

• with electrical mixer.

Some mixed drinks, because of their simplicity and, maybe, visual impression or they do not include ice, are prepared directly in the glass from which they are served. When mixed drinks are prepared in this way, we usually see TG label in the recipe, which means tumbler glass.

In barglass we are preparing mixed drinks that are needed to cool with ice and which are, according to recipe, simple compounds, with two or three components which have common attributes, and do not need mixing with some stronger method to become compact.

With the shaker, which is actually an essential tool in the preparation of cocktails, we make other mixed drinks that need to be really cooled down and mixed with ice.

With electrical mixer we prepare mixed drinks that have, in their composition, components like fruits, vegetables, ice cream, and others, that have to be pulverized with mixer blades.