Almond Extract
Almond extract is a flavoring made from almonds macerated in alcohol.
Aniseed
Aniseed is a crescent shaped seed, which isa member of the parsley family; used in both sweet and savory dishes; impart a strong licorice flavor and a lightly sweet tone to food.
Ataco
Ataco, Amaranthus caudatus is a medicinal plat that grows in Ecuador. It is used as infusion to prepare cocktails.
Bitters
Bitters is a type of spirit made from different herbs, citrus, roots, and plants dissolved in alcohol or glicerine. Its flavor is bitter or bittersweet is used to flavor and add a dry zest to cocktails. Because of their function as a digestive aid and appetite stimulant bitters are often used in before- and after dinner cocktails (aperitifs and digestifs).
If bitters is used in cocktails, the quantity is always small to prevent ruining the cocktail. It is recommended not to use it with non alcoholic drinks due to its high alcohol content.
Common bitters include:
Angostura Bitters
Angostura bitters were developed in 1824 by Dr. J. Siegert, who intended them for use as a tonic to treat fatigue and stomach ailments. It is now the single most widely distributed bar item in the world.
Angostura Bitter is named for the port town of Angostura, Venezuela, and not for the bark of the eponymous tree. It is made from a secret blend of tropical herbs, plant extracts and spices - reportedly over forty ingredients.
Orange Bitters
Orange bitters are made from the rinds of unripe sour oranges steeped in alcohol (usually gin) without adding sugar.
This is the second most popular kind of herbal bitters at the bar, second to Angostura bitters, chances are good however, that you have never seen this available on your store shelves.
Here is a recipe to make it at home:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound dried Seville Orange peel, chopped finely
- 1 pinch Cardamom
- 1 pinch Caraway
- 1 pinch Coriander seeds
- 2 cups Grain Alcohol
- 4 tbsp burnt Sugar or Caramel coloring
Preparation:
Mix the orange peel, herb seeds, and alcohol. Let stand in a sealed jar for 15 days, agitating every day. Pour off spirits through a cloth, and seal again. Take the strained off seeds and peel, put them in a saucepan, crushing with a wooden muddler. Cover them with boiling water, simmer 5 minutes. Put in a covered jar for 2 days, then strain this off and add to the spirits. Put in burnt sugar for color. Filter again, let stand until it settles perfectly clear, then bottle for use.
Lemon Bitters
Lemon Bitters are prepared from a variety of lemon oils, augmented with lemon grass and other natural flavors. Lemon bitters add an interesting background flavor to cocktails.
Underberg Bitters
Underberg is a natural herb bitters taken for digestion. It is made from a selection of aromatic herbs from 43 countries plus water, alcohol, and roots of the genus Gentiana. Its origin country is Germany and since 1846 Europeans have taken it to conclude a meal. It is not a beverage so it should be sipped at once. It has a strong herbal taste, good to flavor some of after meal cocktails.
Cannabis
Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other drugs made from the same plant. This plant is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas in India. It is used in infusion to create Indian cocktails.
Cardamom Powder
Cardamom powder comes from cardamom seeds of a ginger like plant. It is used in traditional Indian medicine and as condiment for some cocktails.
Chat Masala Powder
Chat Masala Powder is a group of spices grounded together very popular in Indian cuisine and as a condiment for their cocktails. The next is a recipe to make chat masala:
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 2 tbsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 2 tbsp Black Salt Crystals (or ordinary salt)
- 1 tbsp Mango powder (amchoor)
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Oil
Preparation:
Spray oil in a non-stick frying pan and roast coriander seeds, cumin, and carom seeds separately till they turn aromatic. Mix all the ingredients and grind into a fine powder using a grinder. Store chat masala in a air-tight bottle and use rasam spice when required.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is an aromatic bark used as spice of many dishes and drinks. This bark comes of the Ceylon cinnamon tree and it is used as rolled strips or ground.
Cloves
Cloves are the dried unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree. They look like small, brown, nail-shaped spices frequently used to flavour cooking liquids for simmering fish, poultry or meat.
Cocktail Sauce
Cocktail sauce is a simple form of ketchup sauce mixed with prepared horseradish. It is popular to be consumed with shrimp and sea food.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Garam Masala
Garam Masala literally translates to hot blend of spices is the principal spice blend of North Indian Cooking. It is used to spice some Indian drinks as well. It is available at any Indian grocery store.
Ginger
Ginger is an herb indigenous to southeastern Asia, cultivated in India, China, West Indies and inclusive U.S.
Ginger root more than a spice, it is considered as a taste maker, a drug, an appetizer and a flavourant.
Guarana Powder
Guarana is the pure seed of the Paullinia Cupana vine, a climbing shrub found in isolated areas of the Amazon rainforest. The seed is about the size of a pea, looks like a brown pebble and has a slightly bitter taste. When dried and ground to a powder, guarana is mixed into energy drinks.
Licorice
Licorice gets its name from the Greek "glyks", meaning sweet and "rhiza" meaning root. It is the sweet tasting rhizomes and roots that are used as flavourings.
Maggi® Seasoning
Maggi® Seasoning is a versatile sauce made from the extract of pure vegetable proteins. This sauce features a distinctive flavor and aroma, which adds zest and depth to soups, salads, and vegetables with just a few dashes. It is a sauce for marinating, stir-frying, and dipping. It is also used to flavour some cocktails showed in this website.
Mango Powder
Mango Powder, also called Amchur in India, it is made by drying small segments of unripe mango and then grinding them into a powder. It is used to give a slightly sour and tangy taste to dishes. It is used as an acid flavoring agent.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is the hard seed of a yellow fruit from a tree (Myristica fragrans) native to the East Indies; it has an oval shape and smooth texture with a strong, sweet aroma and flavor; used ground (grated) in sweet and savory dishes, it is also used as part of cocktails ingredients.
Pepper
Pepper is the most popular spice in the world. It is sold in both black and white varieties and for the most part is imported from India, Indonesia, and Borneo. It is sold in whole (peppercorn) or ground varieties, and is used in almost every dish imaginable. It is popular using pepper in cocktails such as the famous Bloody Mary.
Peppercorn is the small dried fruit of Piper, the pepper plant.
Salt
Salt is a condiment that is very used in cocktails. Specially in those where salt is part of the garnish and taste. E.g. Margarita, Bloody Mary, among others.
Types of Salt used in Cocktails
- Table Salt: the most widely known type of salt. It is also called edible salt or just salt, the fine one. It is used to rim glasses in most of the tequila based drinks and to condiment other drinks.
- Kosher Salt: is a salt without additives, it has a much larger grain size than regular table salt.
- Seasoning Salt: is salt that has been seasoned with spices such as: pepper, thyme, garlic, or other herbs and spices.
- Kala Namak Salt: or Black Salt is a special type of Indian mineral salt. It is actually pinkish grey rather than black and has a very distinctiive sulfurous mineral taste, it is used in Indian cuisine as a condiment and is added to chaats, chutneys, raitas and many other savory Indian snacks.
Sugar
Sugar is an important ingredient in cocktails making. It is used not only to sweeten drinks but also to garnish them.
There are different types of sugar used for these purposes, the most common types are:
White Sugar: or granulated sugar is made from sugar canes or sugar beets. It is highly refined and is available in cubes or tablets in many sizes and textures.
Caster Sugar: or castor sugar is a superfine sugar, more finely granulated that dissolves almost instantly.
Powdered Sugar: or confectioners' sugar is a granulated sugar that has been crushed into a fine powder with a small amount of cornstarch, which is added to prevent clumping.
Coarse Sugar: or decorating sugar has granules about four times larger than those of regular granulated sugar. It is colored by using food colorants.
Brown Sugar: is white sugar combined with molasses, which gives it a soft texture. There are two types: light and dark.
Jaggery Sugar: this traditional, dark, unrefined sugar is made from the juices of crushed sugar cane. It is used to sweeten dishes all over India and Sri Lanka. It has a rich nutty flavor, but unlike more refined sugars, it retains more mineral salts without using chemical agents.
Tabasco Sauce
Tabasco Sauce is a spicy condiment in form of a hot sauce made from Tabasco peppers, vinegar, and salt. The most popular brand known worldwide is: McIlhenny. It is used in most of the bloody cocktails.
Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce is a liquid condiment used worldwide. It is made from the combination of several ingredients: vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, chilli peppers, soy sauce, pepper, tamarinds, anchovies, onions, shallots, cloves, asafoetida, and garlic. Uses: Bloody Mary Cocktail among others.
Zeera Powder
Zeera Powder is made from cumin crushed seeds, it is used in India to condiment food and drinks.
