Vacation bar

[Dave the Cook]

- A blender that can actually crush ice: This one is bugging me. I've been into this cocktail thing for about a month now, and I've yet to use a blender. On the other hand, I'll be in uncharted terrirory, and if we suddenly get a jones for mint juleps, I don't want to embarrass myself.

Forget this unless you want to make "blender drinks." Even most of those can be done very well by shaking the liquor with crushed ice and pouring the works into a glass.

Yeah, after talking to a few people, I'm convinced that a blender might make slush, or at best, slushy ice, but it's not much good at crushing.

How do you get the crushed ice, you ask?  Simple:  Bar towel.  Hammer.  Place ice in bar towel (or get a small canvas bag).  Whack with hammer until desired degree of crushification is desired.  Use ice.  Surely you have a meat mallet around the house.

I do have a meat mallet, and a hard rubber hammer that would work. But I'm thinking about getting a few of these and turning the kids loose on a 300-pound block that we'll keep on the deck. Who needs seltzer bottles to keep them entertained?

Another way of figuring out the  bottles to bring would be to look through a good book (and for relative newcomers to mixology, you won't find one better than this book), find 5 cocktails that sound tasty and use more or less similar ingredients and buy those.

That's sort of what I'm doing here. I'm just picking Society brains instead of picking up a book.

[Fat Guy]

You might want to add a basic bar manual to your equipment list. You never know when somebody is going to ask for a drink that you don't know how to make, but which can easily be assembled from your vacation bar.

If you're not going to make any blender drinks, it's certainly not worth bringing a blender just to crush ice. However, if you're bringing a high-quality blender anyway, you'll find that a good blender crushes ice very well. If you pulse it you will get actual crushed ice, not a slush.

Speaking from one neophyte to another, I strongly suggest you do use the glass version of the Boston shaker. It's especially convenient if you can get one with the ounces marked on the outside. But either way, being able to see what you're doing is very helpful for beginners. I have also never managed to break or even chip one. Those things are made of extremely thick, durable glass. You'd probably dent a metal one before you broke a glass one.

[slkinsey]

. . . if you're bringing a high-quality blender anyway, you'll find that a good blender crushes ice very well. If you pulse it you will get actual crushed ice, not a slush. . .

I think this greatly depends on the blender. For a conical blender (which I think is the best kind for most blender tasks) like a "beehive" Osterizer, you won't be able to crush ice. I have one, so I know whereof I speak. Other blenders with flatter/broader bottoms like the KA and Cuisinart models may be able to break up ice cubes, but I can see this being very tedious because the ice won't "turn over" in the blender unless it melts enough to get slushy (which we don't want). So, best-case scenario you're crushing maybe 5 or 6 cubes at a time in the blender. Not an optimal situation. Blenders are good at making blender drinks -- not crushing ice.

If you want to crush ice, get yourself one of these babies (Rival Ice-O-Matic electric ice crusher with fine/coarse adjustment). That way you can shake with cracked ice whenever you want. I have one at home.

I strongly suggest you do use the glass version of the Boston shaker. It's especially convenient if you can get one with the ounces marked on the outside. But either way, being able to see what you're doing is very helpful for beginners. I have also never managed to break or even chip one.

I've actually come to believe that the ones with ounces marked on them are a bad idea. It's better to learn how to measure the right way with a jigger or measuring cup. The marked mixing glasses are really only helpful for the most simple cocktails. When you start making something like a Pegu Club with 2 ounces of gin, 3/4 ounce orange curaçao and 3/4 once of fresh lime juice, or anything that includes anything other than ounce and half-ounce measures, the marked mixing glass is useless because you can't measure with that kind of precision very well.

The way to mix in a Boston shaker, IMO, is to measure out all the ingredients into the small mixing cup with jiggers or a small measuring cup like the Oxo, fill the small mixing cup with ice, put the big mixing cup on top, give it a whack, shake, flip it over so the big mixing cup is on the bottom, slap the side to loosen the seal, remove the small mixing cup and strain the drink. The precarious bit for the novice is loosening the seal to remove the small mixing cup. When it's glass, it can be a precarious situation. Turns out it's a lot easier with all metal, and you don't have to worry about breaking the glass.

[Fat Guy]

Right, a blender like the Waring sucks at crushing ice, whereas a Cuisinart or Krups blender will crush 6-8 ice cubes very well in just a few pulses (although sometimes you get lucky and don't even need to pulse). Like I said, it's not worth hauling a Cuisinart blender with you just to crush ice, but if you've got one sitting on the counter it's more convenient to crush ice in it half a tray at a time than it is to do it with a hammer. You don't even have to clean the thing afterwards.

A decent alternative to crushing ice is mini ice cubes. I always have two types of ice cube trays in my freezer: normal and mini. When you need to get something really cold really fast, the mini ice cubes do a great job -- probably not fully as effective as crushed ice, but very effective nonetheless. On the rare occasion that I actually make cocktails, I use the minis. Dogs also prefer them for snacking, and they're better at conforming to your body if you need to ice down your knee or whatever. So, if you're going to bring extra ice cube trays, you may as well make them mini ones. And if you're shopping for them, I suggest you get the "sheets" rather than the trays -- the sheets are bigger, like 15"x9" -- and make a lot more cubes than the standard ones.

I'm sure there are pedagogical reasons to acclimate to the metal shakers, but for me -- again speaking as a bona fide neophyte without the confidence to pour liquor into the abyss of an opaque container -- the glass ones are superior. Even without gradations, I just prefer to see what has gone in the glass. Did I put the lime juice in yet? And with the gradations, you can do shortcuts on the items you often repeat. So, for example, you may always make the same drink for four people and so you can establish the routine: fill it with X to 6 oz, then with Y to 8 oz, then with Z to wherever. The gradations are also helpful as a backup reality check, like when somebody interrupts you in the middle of your count of 6 jiggers of gin. And when you're shaking you get to do a visual check on the frothiness of your product. Since the glass ones are so cheap, I'd suggest starting with them and then weaning yourself later, when you acquire greater cocktail-making experience and confidence.

[Dave the Cook]

Right, a blender like the Waring sucks at crushing ice, whereas a Cuisinart or Krups blender will crush 6-8 ice cubes very well in just a few pulses (although sometimes you get lucky and don't even need to pulse). Like I said, it's not worth hauling a Cuisinart blender with you just to crush ice, but if you've got one sitting on the counter it's more convenient to crush ice in it half a tray at a time than it is to do it with a hammer. You don't even have to clean the thing afterwards.

Just so we're clear, Sam is talking about this kind of blender, and Steven is talking about this style. Right? I have an excellent version of the former, and I've never been impressed with the latter, for cooking purposes, anyway.

A decent alternative to crushing ice is mini ice cubes. I always have two types of ice cube trays in my freezer: normal and mini. When you need to get something really cold really fast, the mini ice cubes do a great job -- probably not fully as effective as crushed ice, but very effective nonetheless. On the rare occasion that I actually make cocktails, I use the minis. Dogs also prefer them for snacking, and they're better at conforming to your body if you need to ice down your knee or whatever. So, if you're going to bring extra ice cube trays, you may as well make them mini ones. And if you're shopping for them, I suggest you get the "sheets" rather than the trays -- the sheets are bigger, like 15"x9" -- and make a lot more cubes than the standard ones.

Like this? This seems like a reasonable compromise, if your freezer isn't already occupied by a built-in ice crusher.

I'm sure there are pedagogical reasons to acclimate to the metal shakers, but for me -- again speaking as a bona fide neophyte without the confidence to pour liquor into the abyss of an opaque container -- the glass ones are superior. Even without gradations, I just prefer to see what has gone in the glass. Did I put the lime juice in yet? And with the gradations, you can do shortcuts on the items you often repeat. So, for example, you may always make the same drink for four people and so you can establish the routine: fill it with X to 6 oz, then with Y to 8 oz, then with Z to wherever. The gradations are also helpful as a backup reality check, like when somebody interrupts you in the middle of your count of 6 jiggers of gin. And when you're shaking you get to do a visual check on the frothiness of your product. Since the glass ones are so cheap, I'd suggest starting with them and then weaning yourself later, when you acquire greater cocktail-making experience and confidence.

I trust my measuring abilities, but you got me when you brought up distractions. (Not to mention that I'm a sucker for terms like "pedagogical," bona fide" and "abyss.")

So glass it is, at least for what's likely to be a week just chock-full of distractions. But is the glass cup supposed to be bigger than the metal one, or vice-versa?

[slkinsey]

So glass it is, at least for what's likely to be a week just chock-full of distractions. But is the glass cup supposed to be bigger than the metal one, or vice-versa?

Nope. It's the other way around: the glass cup is supposed to be smaller than the metal cup. You measure out your liquids into the mixing glass, fill the glass to the top with ice, place the larger metal cup over the top and give it a little slap to set the seal, shake, turn the whole works upside down so the large metal cup is on the bottom, give it a slap on the side to break the seal and remove the small mixing cup, put the hawthorne strainer over the top of the metal cup and pour from there (some people also like to pour back from the large cup into the small cup and pour from the small cup using a julep strainer).

If I may suggest: why not try one glass mixing cup and one metal mixing cup? The hardest part of using a Boston shaker to learn is separating the two pieces. They can form a pretty tenacious seal, and it takes a little experience to learn how to separate them with ease and confidence (especially if you don't want to send the mixing glass flying across the room). Of course, you can just let the shaker sit for 30-60 seconds after you've finished shaking to loosen the seal, but then you are running the risk of overdiluting the drink and you also lose some of the desirable aeration. Needless to say, certain drinks, such as the Pisco Sour we've been discussing in another thread, need to be poured promptly after they have been shaken. If you have to wait for the seal to soften on your Boston shaker, your Pisco Sour won't really be right. Metal seems to separate much more easily than glass. You could easily get both a metal and a glass 16 ounce mixing cup, plus a 26 ounce metal cup from these guys and have the best of both worlds.

[Fat Guy]

Those are the right trays, Dave, though the ones I own have the advantage of the brand name "Frigid Midget."

[JAZ]

Those are the right trays, Dave, though the ones I own have the advantage of the brand name "Frigid Midget."

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I want those. But does that mean I have to use smaller corks?

[Dave the Cook]

Yes. I believe they're called Popping Pygmies.

[Fat Guy]

From the department of too much time on our hands: an ode to Frigid Midget.

[Marlene]

Those are the right trays, Dave, though the ones I own have the advantage of the brand name "Frigid Midget."

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I want those. But does that mean I have to use smaller corks?

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You're all a bunch of non-believers.

[Mayhaw Man]

Those are the right trays, Dave, though the ones I own have the advantage of the brand name "Frigid Midget."

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I want those. But does that mean I have to use smaller corks?

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You're all a bunch of non-believers.

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Perhaps this only works in areas a bit less humid than the Southern US Coast, but I have a kind of neat art project in my freezer. It is a mixed media installation consisting of plastic bags, corks, and ice. Kind of one big blob. I am going to call it, "Canadian Technology Dreams".

It didn't work for me, and yes, tonight when I get home I will put up a photo (it was too early this morning), but it is pretty much a solid mass. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe it was just too technically advanced for me, maybe I should have used a different kind of ice, or corks, or plastic bags. There are entirely too many variables in this experiment to call it a failure yet. I am certain that I have done something wrong. Marlene would never, ever, lead me astray.

[Marlene]

How much ice and how many corks did you use? Did you leave the plastic bags open or seal them shut?

[Varmint]

I'm totally enjoying this thread and will rely on it out of complete necessity when I'm shacked up with my family, my parents, and my 3 brothers (and their families) for a week at Dauphin Island, AL at the end of the year. I will NEED to maintain a steady level of intoxication during this week to maintain my sanity.

And Dave, I can send you my autographed copy of Dale DeGroff's cocktail book if you need to borrow something. It's pretty damn good.

[Mayhaw Man]

How much ice and how many corks did you use?  Did you leave the plastic bags open or seal them shut?

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We don't count ice here-we weigh it-in pounds, the way that God intended.

I used about 6 corks to what I would guess would have been about 4 lbs. of ice.

I will count the cubes tonight.

I have this vision of Canadian guys sitting around a table drinking beer, and counting cubes and corks. A fight breaks out as one guy suspects that another is using too many corks (or not enough cubes-it's all about perspective).

[trillium]

But the point of hashing all of this out six weeks in advance is so I can make intelligent choices about what to I need to take and what I can procure at the destination. My experiences in hunting down things like orange bitters and maraschino in a city as big as Atlanta has made me apprehensive about the availability of, say, Pisco brandy on the Redneck Riviera.

Mabey it's because I don't own a car (ok, didn't until last week) but I always, always call places and check that they have what I want before I bus it or drive around looking for them. Saves lots of time. But you do have infuriating conversations with morons about candied citron from time to time.

If you're going to insist on what we call cocktail glasses in this modern time (I have some nice old round ones that look nothing like a V) I'm going to insist they are not acrylic. I would rather drink my daiquiri out of a coffee mug then out of a plastic glass. You might check out the stemless glasses with sturdier bottoms, they're easier to pack/transport and are less tippy.

I've always thought Mojitos were kind of hard to screw up.  I'm of the 1 lime/drink, leave a half of the squeezed lime in the drink camp.  What don't you like about yours? 

Not enough mint, not enough sweet. I suspect myself of indifferent muddling.

1 lime per drink, drop 1/2 of the hull into the glass. 2 or 3 teaspoons of 2:1 simple syrup or sugar, splash of soda water, around 10 sprigs of mint that has the thickest stems pulled off (a handfull). Muddle, but don't pulverize, you don't want lots of little pieces of mint in the drink or bitter notes. 2 - 3 oz of light rum (add more sugar if you're adding less rum). Stir, add plenty of ice, and top with soda water (not seltzer!). Garnish with a mint sprig. Some people like it without the lime hull, just the juice. There are arguments about mint, some say yerba buena is the only mint to use, these days I like using orange mint, but it's good with just about anything (if you have a choice, the red stemmed stuff seems to have a stronger better flavor).

regards,

trillium

[Curlz]

LOVE this thread, and not just b/c I'm getting ready to go away for a few days with family, followed by a few with friends!

A few thoughts...

-Marlene, how the HELL did you discover the cork/ice thing (assuming it works)?!?

-If you need zest, I don't care how great you are with a grater, spend $10-12 for a microplane zester. It will change your life--I promise! If they ever start a religion based on that alone, I'm in.

-You were asking about drinks, and I'll share one that my younger brother turned me on to a few summers ago: Mount Gay Rum and ginger ale. Lots of ice, and a squeeze of lime, and I'm at the beach the second I taste it. Surprisingly refreshing--trust me!

Now I have to go out and find some mini-cube trays...

[slkinsey]

-If you need zest, I don't care how great you are with a grater, spend $10-12 for a microplane zester.

Hmm. I'm not sure where the idea came up that a zester is needed for cocktail making. By and large, what you want to use is a twist that contains mostly zest with minimal pith (my experience is that some amount of pith is really required for the twist to have any strength and not break apart when twisted). This is most easily obtained by running a vegetable peeler over the skin of a fresh lemon. Occasionally, you may want other shapes/kinds of citrus peel garnishes. A horse's neck spiral is most easily done with a channel knife, and if you want to flame the twist it's easier to have a smaller disk-shaped piece, which is easily done with a knife. The kind of whispy threads of zest that are produced with a zester, and the little shreds produced with a microplane grater aren't really useful in cocktail making (except for making infusions).

[Dave the Cook]

Hmm.  I'm not sure where the idea came up that a zester is needed for cocktail making. 

Guess who:

. . . . Let's make an equipment list: . . .

- Lemon/lime zester

. . . .

[Curlz]

Yeah, sorry--I didn't remember WHO put it on the list, just that it was on there. I usually use a paring knife to make 'twists' too. But for zest, well...you know.

[Fat Guy]

How the heck are you supposed to make mojitos without zest?

[Marlene]

LOVE this thread, and not just b/c I'm getting ready to go away for a few days with family, followed by a few with friends!

A few thoughts...

-Marlene, how the HELL did you discover the cork/ice thing (assuming it works)?!?

-If you need zest, I don't care how great you are with a grater, spend $10-12 for a microplane zester.  It will change your life--I promise!  If they ever start a religion based on that alone, I'm in. 

-You were asking about drinks, and I'll share one that my younger brother turned me on to a few summers ago:  Mount Gay Rum and ginger ale.  Lots of ice, and a squeeze of lime, and I'm at the beach the second I taste it.  Surprisingly refreshing--trust me! 

Now I have to go out and find some mini-cube trays...

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The cork thing I orginally got from my parents, and my mother still does it to this day. When I attended college, this little gem was imparted to us by our beverage instructor. I told him my mom was way ahead of him. I have no idea what Brooks did, but I swear, it does work.

I'm a huge huge fan of the microplane zester having just aquired one myself!

[trillium]

How the heck are you supposed to make mojitos without zest?

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See above. You don't use zest, you use limes.

regards,

trillium

[Dave the Cook]

Despite my amusement, I think this is really a nomenclature issue:

. . . (b)y and large, what you want to use is a twist that contains mostly zest with minimal pith (my experience is that some amount of pith is really required for the twist to have any strength and not break apart when twisted). . .

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What Steven is calling zest, the rest of us are calling a twist.

[slkinsey]

Despite my amusement, I think this is really a nomenclature issue:

. . . (b)y and large, what you want to use is a twist that contains mostly zest with minimal pith (my experience is that some amount of pith is really required for the twist to have any strength and not break apart when twisted). . .

What Steven is calling zest, the rest of us are calling a twist.

You're probably right, but you can't make a twist with a zester (unless there is a zester/peeler confusion as well). This is a zester and this is a peeler. What you want is a peeler.