Tipsy's Tips: Garnishes, The Right Stuff

You figured out what garnish to use! Congratulations! But, so much can still go wrong. You know to add a cherry. But what does that mean? Do you go find a cherry tree? And what about that stalk of celery for the Bloody Mary?

FRESH Really. This is not a simple matter of what looks prettier. The longer a fruit, herb, or vegetable has been cut, the longer it has to get yucky. Really, really yucky. By all means, prep before your Tiki Party and slice that pineapple... but don't do it two days before!

PRETTY The mottled skin on that lemon wedge is gonna ruin the look of your drink, and can ruin the taste. A limp celery stalk is gonna make for a limp looking Bloody Mary. Make sure the garnish is unblemished and fresh looking. (Tip, if your fresh celery is looking tired, slice the bottom off and stick in a glass of water for a bit. It'll perk right up!)

SIZE When choosing lemons, limes, and even oranges, pick a large fruit over a smaller one. They tend to be sweeter, and will give you options with how you prepare it as a garnish. See if you can select a thin-skinned variety, which will be juicier. And that applies to the prepared options...

PREPARED No one expects you to have an olive tree. Or a cherry tree. When you need those kinds of garnishes, you are typically needing a martini olive, or a maraschino cherry. You get what you pay for, is all I am gonna say. There is a difference between the average jar of olives, and what you will find in the drink aisle. Pricier? You betcha. But it will not be crammed into the jar, making a more attractive garnish. Maraschino cherries? Sure, you can find them next to the chocolate syrup, for making an ice cream sundae. But they'll be packed in tightly. Make your choice, based on what you need, and how badly you are trying to impress the hottie who just waltzed up to your bar.

Next week, we tackle how to make the carefully selected and purchased garnish look like a million bucks... in "Beauty School".