There is an ancient “Cocktail” legend that goes something like this…
A man is lost in the desert…An unrelenting sun beating down on him like an anvil…
His throat parched, his lips dried and cracked…
He crawls on his belly through the sand, no longer having the strength to walk…
His thirst unimaginable…Surly death is only moments away…
He slowly climbs to the top of a small rise to await the inevitable…But as he reaches the summit, through sun-scorched eyes, he spies a small tent…
Life!
Using only sheear will he pulls himself up to what some might call a standing position…
And with his last ounce of strength he hurls himself down the dune towards the oasis.
Tumbling uncontrollably head over heals like a child’s rag doll thrown in anger, he finally comes to a halt at the base of the watering hole. More dead then alive…
After what must have seemed like an eternity, he slowly opens is eyes to find a man dressed in white, hovering over him and holding forth a small battered and dirty tin cup.
Through eyes dry as sandpaper he can make out small beads of sweat upon the bedraggled vessel…Confirming what he’d hoped. The liquid inside must be cold and refreshing…
Holding the cup in one hand, with the other the stranger helps the man up to rest on one elbow and hands him the battle worn goblet…
“Drink my friend, drink” the stranger says softly…
The man takes the haggard mug, his senses coming alive as his hand grips the cold beaker…
He looks up at the stranger; “Would it be possible to get this in a Rocks Glass…???”
Okay, so maybe that’s a wee bit of a exaggeration…But you get the idea…
Proper glassware is VERY important…!!!
Why…???
Well…
For starter, there are actually some glasses that were designed specifically with certain beverages in mind…
For example; When drinking a cocktail or beverage that is carbonated, a tall narrow glass would be the vessel of choice…
You see the bubbles in Beer or Champagne are there for a reason…And if a glass has a WIDE rim, such as a Martini glass, the gasses will dissipate far to quickly…
Leaving you with a “Flat”, lifeless beverage of little value…
That’s why, for example, a Pilsner glass is recommended for beer and a Champagne Goblet for Champagne…
It’s the same with a Highball glass…The carbonated tonic water or club soda used in things like a Gin & Tonic, Scotch and Soda or say a Mojito, would go “Flat” long before you have enjoyed the entire cocktail if served in a glass that had a wide opening…
Other reason is aesthetic…Remember, you eat and drink with your eyes as much as with you nose and mouth…
It’s hard to get excited about anything, a cocktail included, that does not, first, look appealing…
If you are going to go to all the trouble to purchase high quality ingredients, and then take the time and care required to fashion a fine beverage…
Do you really want to serve it in, for example, a plastic cup…???
Would you spend hours cooking an elegant meal, only to serve it on paper plates…???
Cheers
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And don’t forget to have a look at this weeks NEW video:
Episode 2: Glassware Basics!