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Aug 08, 2023

The Simple Kitchen Utensil That Will Help You Stir Cocktails With Ease

Many cocktail recipes call for the stirring of added ingredients, but just because you don't have professional bartending equipment doesn't mean you can't make delicious cocktails at home. Where a

Many cocktail recipes call for the stirring of added ingredients, but just because you don't have professional bartending equipment doesn't mean you can't make delicious cocktails at home. Where a hired bartender would use a bar spoon to mix booze and simple syrups, you have other options without needing to rush to the nearest supply store.

Recipes with eggs, dairy, or citrus are often shaken theatrically in bars, while drinks made up of transparent alcohol and recipes in which the texture should be protected are generally better off stirred. Stirring means less aeration and friction among drink ingredients and delicate bubbles and smooth concoctions can be preserved.

Instead of fretting over your lack of a long silver spoon, however, reach into your kitchen drawer for chopsticks, instead. The length of a chopstick will help you combine liqueurs and spirits with ease, and as soon as your guests start sipping the results of your creative ingenuity, no one will know the difference between a drink mixed with a clean chopstick and one swirled by a fancy stirring spoon.

After wielding a chopstick with confidence and using it to stir your drink recipes, your home bartending efforts will be recognized by friends and family alike. Your martinis will be smooth, your Manhattans well mixed, and you'll be able to mix booze like a pro. Remember, with stirred drinks, alcohol is the star player, so stirring libations with a chopstick is much better than the alternatives — ingredients settling in layers, diluted drinks, or aerated classic cocktails poured with a head of foam.

Stirred drinks can pack a bit more of a wallop for the drinker, so you want to make sure your recipes are enjoyable experiences. Plus, if ice is added, you'll want to time your stir perfectly so that you can deposit a chilled drink into your guests' hands without diluting the drink. Though perfecting stirred drinks can take practice, armed with a chopstick, you'll have the tool you need to start practicing.