That’s what I’m here to help with. My goal with this blog is to help readers find the same joy in mixing drinks I have over the years. For some of you, my readers, the idea of making a cocktail at home (or even ordering one at a bar) might be entirely novel. Others may be looking to broaden their repertoire or get a different take on a particular recipe. Regardless, my goal is to share the pleasure I’ve found in home bartending as well as whatever knowledge of classic and contemporary cocktail technique and culture I possess. I also aim to push my own boundaries and increase my own knowledge and skill as I experiment and explore.
I started making cocktails in the late 90’s or early 2000’s – I’m not sure exactly when. I think the first drink I made was a Cosmopolitan (it was the heyday of Sex and the City). Making cocktails was glamorous and fun, and had a note of thrift. The burrito place charged $12 for the margaritas with the good tequila, while the ingredients plus starting equipment only ran like $50. As a freshly minted MBA, I’d done the breakeven analysis, and it was convincing.
I worked my way through my first cocktail book and started to expand my horizons. I still haven’t made every recipe in there, but I think I tackled the majority and filled a shelf for bottles (which put a dent in the breakeven period for sure…) I started tending bar at parties I’d throw and serving friends drinks when they’d visit. I like that this skill is a little out of the ordinary – I get to make them a treat they’re not expecting, catering to their taste or perhaps expanding it.
The chief pleasure of home bartending is the ability to serve up a delicious concoction for your guests, your partner, or even yourself. It just takes a few moments and a little extra effort to craft an experience elevated beyond the everyday. The handful of extra steps, the practice of assembling the tools, gathering the ingredients, the precision of measuring and mixing, then finally presenting a glass filled with a drink made just for them – this is what I love most about bartending.
So what are you in the mood for? Let’s make something fun!
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