John Gushue . . . Dot Dot Dot

DIY project: Making extra cocktail shakers

We're planning a cocktail party, having had a blast last year mixing up retro and new drinks for a bunch of people. (A good night for the taxi trade, that one.) 

One of the problems I have is that even though I have several cocktail shakers, the result of several gifts over the years, it's really easy to go through them, especially when you're mixing up different recipes. Starting off with a cold shaker is key, so having a bunch would be handy through the night. 

I saw this video from America's Test Kitchen, and I've taken notes.

The secret ingredient in your cocktail? Music

I read a really interesting piece about the work of Tony Conigliaro, who seems to have an endless curiosity about mixing drinks. It's not just the liquids (the one above is called a Barbershop Fizz), but in the other things that affect the senses. Consider this excerpt, on how music influences perception of flavour:  

On the effect of music on taste:
We did this study with professional bartenders. We blacked out glasses and got them to taste something they taste all day long. but we played different music with the drinks.

One was a humming chorus from Madame Butterfly. Then we’d play this horrible techno track. We asked them to give us smell and taste notes on each drink.

And we found dramatic differences. During Madame Butterfly they picked up the flavor nuances in the drink. With techno playing, they were picking up the alcoholic notes and harder, spicier notes.

So we found that the music in the bar will affect how people appreciate the drinks. Some will relax you, some will irritate you.