Lemon & Lime Garnishes 101

I love a good garnish. Alcoholic, Non-Alcoholic, it doesn't matter, because a garnish makes a drink taste better. Don't believe me? Just watch a kid order drinks and see which version they prefer. Nine out of ten times, they'll pick the fun pretty one, and I think we all have a little bit of kid in us.

I have noticed a lot of popular dining establishments putting the idea of a good garnish to shame. Garnishing a drink is so easy to do correctly, but so many people get it wrong. Garnishes serve only two purpouses, and that's to increase appeal and flavor. That's it, keep it simple.

Lemons and limes are the two most popular garnishes worldwide. Lemons are frequently used in teas and limes in cocktails. Almost every establishment offers them and most are getting it wrong. In an effort to reduce costs they miscut limes and store them improperly. If your one of those people listen up! It's better to not serve garnishes if they are unuseable and ugly.

TIP #1 - Cut correct sizes
Assuming you know not to use rotten fruit, the most common problem starts with wedge size. A typical lime yields 8 slices and that's it. If your getting more than 10 slices per lime, your slices are too small. Is getting an extra 2 drinks per lime worth the cost of serving a bad product? We all know there is no person on earth who can squeeze these suckers into their drink, not to mention how silly it looks.

TIP #2 - Properly storing
The major problem here is that many chains chop their fruits in the morning and store the extras in the cooler all day in some type of large ziplock. Poof ruined! The trick here is to not pile your fruits more than 2 levels high. So if you have more than 3 lemons on top of each other in your bag your stacking to high. Using ziplocks is fine, just be sure to store them on their sides or scatter them out. This keeps your wedges from turning into what resembles a wine press.

As far as cutting wheels and others shapes, that's a whole new dance that requires years of master swordsmanship. With hard work and meditation you'll catch on. Just start with the basics first grasshopper.

A little seasonal cheer

It’s the holiday season which means it’s party time! Office parties, family get togethers, fun with friends, perhaps even a seasonal wedding. There are invites everywhere, so get your party dress on (if you’re a girl), and eat, drink, and dance the night away.

When it comes to seasonal drinks, we all know about eggnog, mulled wine, and spiced cider, but here are a few you may not be familiar with.

Let’s start with some peppermint. Striped candy canes make fabulously fun twizzlers to serve in drinks. Or try a Peppermint Stick:
1 1/2 oz crème de cacao
1 oz cream
1 oz peppermint schnapps
Shake well with ice, strain into hurricane glass and decorate with a candy cane.

If you’re at an event with a champagne toast, try livening it up a little with a Poinsettia:
3 oz champagne, chilled
1 oz triple sec
3 oz cranberry juice, chilled
Pour into a fluted champagne glass. Stir and serve.
While we’re on a red theme, you can’t go wrong with cranberry at this time of year, so have a Crantini:
2 oz cranberry juice
1 1/2 oz vodka or gin
lime juice
Mix vodka, cranberry juice and a splash of lime juice cordial over ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

To make any red drink extra festive, I suggest pouring a small amount of whipped cream on top (don’t stir) and garnish with a few cranberries.
One surprising find was the Christmas Pudding, surprising because its main ingredient is stout. While I’m not sure that this is quite to my taste, it might be something the men enjoy:
1 part Drambuie
5 parts Stout
1 part Southern Comfort
Combine ingredients in a red wine glass.
If you’re looking for a showstopper to round the evening out, something that looks as spectacular as it tastes, how about a flaming Mistletoe Aperitif?
1/2 oz Chambord (a raspberry liqueur)
1/2 oz melon liqueur
1/2 oz Orange liqueur
In a tall shot glass add Chambord, then gently pour Midori, the second layer, over the back of an inverted spoon so that it flows on top of the Chambord without mixing. Repeat the process using Orange liqueur. Ignite the top with a match. Blow flame out after a few seconds and be sure the rim of the glass has cooled before drinking.

As always, we want you to have a good time, but we want you to drink responsibly so the final drink is for the designated driver. It’s known as a Pippin but we’ll rechristen it Silent Night in honor of the season:
75ml apple juice
Dash lemon juice
Dash grenadine
Ginger ale to top up
Serve in tall glasses with plenty of ice and a couple of straws, and garnish with a wafer-thin slice of unpeeled red apple.
Whatever you’re drinking this December, we wish you all a safe and merry holiday season.