TGIF! As part of our weekly cocktail series, we bring you some handy tips on mixed drink prep. James Bond famously asked for a martini, 'shaken, not stirred,' but - we hate to report: 007 was incorrect.
A classic martini contains dry elements which do not need to be shaken to be combined. In fact, a shaken martini (or manhattan) may end up with ice chips as it's a very delicate mix of similarly weighted liquors which requires only a couple brisk stirs and a strain in order to mix effectively.
So what's the point of a shaken cocktail? Anything with heavier elements, such as fruit (or a flip egg white cocktail) requires a vigorous shaking in order to combine the elements in the drink properly. So shake up your daiquiri, your margarita, your cosmo, or any other cocktail which has thick, heavy ingredients which will require vigorous movement in order to meld them properly.
Delicately stir your full liquor cocktails - particularly those with gin or whiskey, as it is said that shaking can 'bruise' the liquor. Below is a recipe for a classic stirred and a classic shaken cocktail to get you started. Happy bartending!
Negroni
1.5 oz sweet vermouth | 1.5 oz Campari | 1.5 oz gin | Orange twist to garnish
Combine all ingredients, minus the garnish over ice in a cocktail shaker, stir several times, strain into a chilled highball, garnish and serve.
Mai Tai
1 oz light rum | 1 oz dark rum | 1 oz fresh lime juice | .5 oz Orange Curacao | .5 oz Orgeat syrup | .25 oz simple syrup | mint sprig garnish
Pour all ingredients, except for the garnish, into a large cocktail shaker filled with two cups of crushed ice. Shake vigorously to combine, pour without straining into a highball glass, garnish and serve.
