Muddling 101: Perfecting The Classic Cocktail

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.
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Start with a good recipe. We like this one for MOJITOS, and this one for an OLD-FASHIONED.
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Place the herbs and/or fruit in the bottom of a mixing glass or metal cocktail shaker. Avoid plastic containers, as they break easily.
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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.
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Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing glass or cocktail shaker.
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Shake or stir and serve!