Thanksgiving is all about love, gratitude, and thankfulness. It is incomplete without a family or friends in attendance. Isn’t it? Thanksgiving 2023 isn’t going to be any different from earlier years. You may be already busy planning your guest list, dinner, and decorations. If you are already through it, or clear about what and how to do it, then you still have time to showcase your creativity by making a signature cocktail. If you have been thinking that creating a delicious cocktail takes lots of effort, then you are mistaken. This post aims to ease your efforts and offer you tips for making a standout cocktail that would impress your loved ones.
Tips to Make a Delicious Cocktail for Your Thanksgiving Dinner
Mixing a cocktail may seem easy for many; however, lots of consideration goes into making the right cocktail. The following tips will be helpful in this context.
- Set the Theme for the Occasion: Before you decide on the cocktail recipe, try to set the theme for the occasion. For instance, you should consider the ingredients, flavors, and traditions associated with the event. Some common themes include autumnal flavors, such as cranberry, pumpkin, apple, as well as spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. You can also stick to the classic Thanksgiving dishes like cranberry sauce, or apple pie.
- Choose Your Base Spirit: Once you have set the theme, you can choose your base spirit. Some popular options among them are:
- Gin: This stands out due to its herbal and citrusy flavor. If you prefer a natural or botanical-tasting flavor then choosing the gin as a base spirit would make a sense.
- Vodka: This spirit has a neutral flavor, and it bodes well with a wide range of flavors. If you wish to serve fruitier or lighter cocktails, then vodka is the best choice.
- Rum: This spirit has sweet, yet subtle and complex flavor profile. There are various types of rums available, such as light rum, gold rum, dark rum, black rum, premium aged rum, flavored and spiced rum. Light rum is flavorless and most preferred for lighter cocktails; gold rum have flavorful profile and are used for making cocktails with strong flavor profiles; black rum embody the rich flavor and works great as whiskey floaters and are ideal for making classic cocktails like whiskey cocktail. Many rum types pair well with flavors like cinnamon and apple.
- Whiskey: If you are already a whiskey lover, you would be aware of its types. Bourbon, Tennessee, rye, wheat, and white or corn whiskeys are some popular types of whiskeys distilled in the US. Some of these types, such as wheat, corn, and rye whiskeys, are made from 51% grain. Among these, Bourbon whiskey has a sweeter flavor profile than other types listed here. It has notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel. Sometimes, you can also relish the intense flavors of baking spices like nutmeg or cinnamon. Hence, if you wish to make a cocktail with a stronger flavor profile, then Bourbon whiskey is the best bet. If you wish to add depth to your drink then Rye whiskey works the best. It has a peppery and bitter flavor profile like rye bread, still, it packs a flavorful punch when added to a cocktail.
- Brandy: This spirit has a fruity burnt wine flavor and pleasant oakiness. Brandy has been an integral part of classic cocktails for several years. American Brandy, Cognac, Spanish Brandy, Armagnac, Pisco, Grappa, Eau-de-vie, Flavored Brandy (non-grape brandy), and so on are some popular types of brandy.
- Tequila: This base spirit is known for its earthy and vegetal flavor profile, with tones of spice and sweetness. You can use them in frozen cocktails and margaritas. Tequila forms the base of spicy cocktails and are popular for party shots.
- Balance the Ingredients: A well-balanced cocktail is the blend of mixers, flavorings, and base spirit. The ratio of 2 Oz spirit to 1 Oz flavorings and mixers are considered the best. Here are a few tips to achieve the perfect balance.
- Mixers: You can choose the mixer that bodes well with your theme. For instance, if your theme is pumpkin pie, you can choose pumpkin puree; similarly, for apple pie, you can choose apple juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Citrus Juices: You can add a refreshing zing to your cocktail by adding citrus juices. They help balance the acidity and sweetness.
- Sweeteners: The cocktail’s sweetness can be adjusted by adding sweeteners like maple syrup, simple syrup, honey, and so on.
- Bitters: A few dashes of aromatic bitters like Angostura bitters, orange bitters, chocolate bitters, and so on can add depth and complexity to your cocktail.
- Spices and Aromatics: These would help elevate the flavor profile of your drink to a new level. Nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and ginger are a few spices that would help balance the taste of your cocktail.
- Mix the Ingredients: You can mix the ingredients by stirring or shaking. Shaking is a good method for mixing cocktails involving egg whites, fruit juices, or ingredients that require rigorous blending. You have to use the cocktail mixer to mix the cocktail. For using this, you need to fill the shaker with ice, add base spirit, and other ingredients and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. However, stirring is ideal for cocktails that have a high quantity of spirit, with a few mixers.
- Add the Garnishing: They serve multiple purposes – enhancing the aesthetics and aroma and flavor of the Thanksgiving cocktail. Fresh herbs, spices, citrus zest, fruit slices, and edible flowers.
- Choose the Right Glassware: Although the above steps will help you fix the tasty cocktail, your choice of the glassware will influence the perception of a cocktail. Here are some glassware that you can opt for presentation:
- Martini Glass: It is perfect for chilled and elegant cocktails that are served without ice.
- Collins Glass: This is perfect for serving refreshing cocktails with plenty of ice and mixers.
- Rocks Glass: This glass is perfect for serving strong and spirit-forward cocktails.
- Presentation: If you have already covered the above steps, then the presentation matters. This presentation is an amalgamation of factors such as the choice of glassware, the ambiance, the table décor, and so on. Here, the ambiance will be set by the people and décor. Table décor is one area where you should spend some time. If you have been wondering how to set a table for Thanksgiving dinner then clicking here will help.
Presenting your cocktails on a well-organized table will elevate the overall dining experience of your guests to the next level. Once you have decided on the décor items, you must invest in the right type of table linens. If you are unsure about the right ones for your table décor on this Thanksgiving or wish to invest in table linens that can be reused for future occasions, feel free to contact the team at TableLinensforLess. The experts at the company will help you choose the right linen and make this occasion memorable.