Cambria design shown: WHITNEY™
As any mixologist worth his margarita salt knows, muddling, or gently smooshing herbs and fruit to extract their flavors, is a key element of cocktail making. Before you begin muddling, you need a muddle, also known as a bartender’s pestle. This can be made of wood, stainless steel, or plastic, as long as it matches your bar aesthetic.
Start with a good recipe. We like this one for MOJITOS, and this one for an OLD-FASHIONED.
Place the herbs and/or fruit in the bottom of a mixing glass or metal cocktail shaker. Avoid plastic containers, as they break easily.
Use the muddler to gently smoosh (yes, that’s a technical term) the ingredients. Don’t smash the herbs and fruits into a pulp. Just twist the muddler gently to shred them and release the essential oils and JUICE.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing glass or cocktail shaker.
Shake or stir and serve!