Citrus garnishes are so important for a cocktail, What would a margarita be without a lime wedge? A cocktail garnish can be used to convert any kind of beverage into an elegant cocktail.
Even if you are not a professional bartender, the garnishing basics are essential to have to impress and attract people towards the cocktails. Lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit garnishes can be used to add an extra hint of citrus to your drinks, even the essence of the citrus expressed over your beverage can add that bright hint of fruitiness. But, lemon or lime are the kind of garnishes we prefer in our Indian households as it’s also used as a refreshing agent during summers for any kind of beverages.
Using lemons and limes as our examples, here are 5 classic cocktail Garnishes from citrus fruit to help you get started with your garnishing art.
HOW TO MAKE A LEMON OR LIME SPIRAL
- Take a fresh lemon or lime.
- Slice it in rings.
- Make a slice through one side of the peel and the pulp, all the way up to the rind on the other side.
- Cut the pulp off of the peel so that you have one long thin strip of peel.
- Twist the peel into a curly-q shape. The peel should naturally hold its shape.
- Use lemon or lime twists to garnish cocktails or beverages.
HOW TO MAKE LIME TWISTS
- Take a fresh lime and wash it.
- Place lime on a wooden cutting board and cut a thin slice through the lime.
- Place the thin slice of lime on the cutting board and then by using a knife make a cut halfway through the lime slice.
- Pick up the cut slice, Hold using the opposite ends and then fold it around.
- Your lime slice is now a lime twist and ready yo garnish!
HOW TO MAKE CITRUS ROSE
- Take a lemon and shave off wide pieces of the skin using a peeler.
- Start folding the citrus peel from one end and reach the opposite side.
- Then insert a cocktail pick or a toothpick to keep it together.
- Put it in your desired cocktail.
HOW TO MAKE FLAMED ZEST
- Take a lemon and cut it into half.
- Take a lit matchstick and hold it several inches above the cocktail.
- Now, using your other hand place lemon peel coloured side down 2 inches above the lit matchstick.
- Twist and squeeze the peel over the lit match.
- Rub the peel around the rim of the glass.
- Drop the twist into the desired drink.
HOW TO MAKE LEMON ZEST
- Take a lemon and a grater.
- Rub the lemon on the grater, back and forth until you reach the bitter pith.
- Repeat this on the other side of the lemon.
- The zest is made and ready to get garnished on your favorite cocktail.
Also, check out How to make Dehydrated Citrus Wheels and a few DIY projects for cocktail making at home to make your cocktails even more attractive and delightful! Do you like to try other creative cocktail garnishes, let us know in the comments.
Are you looking for cocktail garnish ideas? If so, we have a few interesting suggestions that you could try. Fresh herbs are excellent cocktail garnishes. In fact, fresh herbs like rosemary and mint also add flavor to your drink along with making it look beautiful. Make sure to gently smack the herbs against your hand before you add it to the cocktail. This will release the essential oils from the herbs, which will in turn add aroma to the cocktail. Do, try this creative garnish idea when you are preparing a cocktail at home.
