The cocktail maker

Ankit Negandhi, winner of the 2008 ‘Smartest Bartender of the World’ award at the Bacardi Martini Grand Prix in Rome, tells us a few tricks about mixing a mean cocktail, getting the home bar in order and setting the mood for the evening when hosting a high-profile do at home.

The lights have been dimmed, the music is flowing and the guests have arrived in their Armani suits and Valentino dresses. The lawns are manicured to perfection and the garden chairs are looking smart. But, is the home bar in order? Have you got the cocktail shaker, the squeezer and the ice buckets in place? Setting up the Bar “When we talk about a bar at home, it means we need to look at a small, cosy place, ideally in the drawing room.

A wood finish is best for creating a bar at home, because you can then change the look of the bar after a few years if you so desire. You can make a bar in the encore (rectangular) shape with the doors on either side of the bar cupboard opening to a small 2’ X 2’ bar counter. It can be mounted on a wall next to your audio system. A mini fridge next to the bar for chilled beer and soft drinks is essential. And yes, it’s extremely important to have enough ice in the fridge and the ice bucket full at all times,” says Ankit. Keeping a good stock of spirits and liqueurs is essential as well. A little bit of everything is an ideal situation,” he says.

Liqueurs
Stocking up on liqueurs is a good idea, especially if you intend to mix some great cocktails. Schnapps: The single-most commonly used schnapps is Peach Schnapps. It’s used in everything from Sex on the Beach to the Woo Woo. You might also consider Melon (Midori), Apple or any other flavour. Orange-flavoured Liqueurs: There are many different kinds of liqueurs flavoured with orange.

They are often lumped together under the name Triple Sec, and they include Grand Mariner, Blue Curacao and Cointreau.

Tequila:
There are two different types of Tequila drinkers. There’s the “Lick it, slam it, suck it” crowd (based on the traditional salt, shot, lime sequence) and there is the Blue Agave sipping crowd. To keep both happy, consider a bottle of Jose Cuervo for the slammers and a more upscale Tequila such as Sauza Conmemorativo for the sipping crowd.

Wine:
A limited but impressive stock of wines (especially Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and rose wines) is also worth considering.

The Gadgets
“A home bar should be small but equipped to offer a variety of cocktails and should have all the important bar equipment like a bar spoon, muddler, cocktail shaker, wine opener, a variety of cocktail glasses, an ice bucket, tongs, etc,” says Ankit.

Bar code
Ankit’s tips: What to stock
Vodka: Typically, a premium brand such as Absolut or Skyy.
Gin: A recognised brand like Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire.
Whisky: Good whisky can be expensive. For some, a basic bottle of Jack Daniel’s might suffice, while for others you might want an assortment of Irish, Canadian and American whiskies.In Bourbon, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam are among the biggest names.
Scotch: Scotch can also be very expensive. Choose according to the tastes of your guests and your budget. Cutty Sark, Johnnie Walker, J&B and Teacher’s are some of my favourites.

The mixing mantra
“For cocktails, you don’t have to buy syrup or other synthetic items from the market. We can extract flavours from home products like ginger, lemon, mint, sugar, fresh fruits, etc. It’s about understanding what goes best with a particular spirit. For example, differentiate your regular Mojito by adding watermelon instead of lemon and it becomes a Watermelon Mojito. We can create many flavours naturally and make a variety of cocktails at home,” says Ankit.

The diy cocktails
Berry Mist
Blueberry: 4 pieces Raspberry: 4 pieces Bitters: 2-3 drops Bacardi or other white rum: 45 ml Triple Sec: 15 ml Strawberry crush: 2 spoons
Method: Mix all the fruits in the shaker and muddle together with lots of ice. Strain it into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with strawberry crush.

Tangerine Margarita
Tequila: 60 ml
Triple Sec: 15 ml
Tangerine syrup: 15 ml
Angostura bitters: 2-3 drops
Lime juice: 10 ml
Method: Rim the glass with sugar and blend all together. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Presidio
Green grapes: 9 pieces
Apple julian: 2 pieces
Green apple syrup: 10 ml
Vodka: 60 ml
Apple juice: 30 ml
Method:Put all the fruits in the shaker and muddle all of it properly. Add lots of ice and pure vodka with apple juice. Shake and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with an apple flag.