So what's the deal?

What do you need to mix cocktails at home? I bet you have some of the stuff that’s necessary. Some people have a shaker… most people haven’t. But some ingredients should be there, maybe even a lot. Still, when browsing a random book or site with cocktail recipes, you’re bound to come across things you’re not equipped for.

So in this blog, we’ll take things slow. We’ll assume you have zip, nada, nothing, zilch, jack, zero…well, you get the idea. And we’ll start building up from there.

In this way, in time, the collection will grow into a respectable home bar. But even before we get to that point, I’ll be discussing recipes that are possible with the stuff we do have.

It’s not a reason to be held back, just a way to guarantee progress: experiment all you want, and don’t hesitate to use anything you just happen to have on hand.

I’ll assume some basics, though. Access to tap water, for example. And a fridge with a freezer (we need to keep some things fresh, and ice might be an important ingredient… we’ll get to that later).

The cat isn’t necessary. But it’s still a good enhancement of any home. Anyway, I digress.

I’ll also assume some basic glassware. We’ll be looking at specific glasses later, but I’m certain you have something lying around.

As an example, here are my all around glasses. They are Picardie glasses, also known as ‘the original French tumbler’. I use them mainly for wine, but they can hold hot and cold drinks. They have a nice retro feel (no wonder, they were designed in 1927) and most drinks won’t get embarrassed being served in them.

But this is just an example. Just browse through your glassware and figure out what could work as a decent vessel.

As you see, a normal kitchen will take care of the proper basics.

No recipes here yet. We can’t mix if we have nothing to mix. But we’ll be in business soon.