What is a cocktail and cocktail party?

To understand cocktails first understand her definition - a cocktail is a drink made by mixing two or more types of alcohol or beverages, juices, sodas, that has a certain nutritional and appreciation value.

Cocktails originated in the Americas, which is recognized by most historical sources, around the end of the 18th or early 19th century. Exactly how to start mixing and drinking this kind of color, aroma and taste of mixed drinks, as well as the origin of the name "cocktail", there are many different opinions, now quoted a few to the reader:

##One day, after a banquet, the seat left a variety of different wine, some cups left 1/4, some cups left 1/2. The man who was clearing the table mixed the different kinds of wine together in three or five cups, and when he tasted it, it tasted better than the single kinds of wine that had been left. Then the fellow mixed several kinds of wine in different combinations, and so on. After this, these mixed wines were given to everyone to drink, and the results were highly evaluated. As a result, this method of mixing drinks became famous and spread. It is not known why it was called "cocktails" instead of "cocktails".

#Another story dates from the 19th century. American Clifford ran a hotel on the Hudson River. The Clifford family had three things they were proud of, known as the Clifford's Three. First, he had a large, well-fed, imposing rooster, which was a famous fighter in the cockfighting arena: second, his wine library was said to have the most outstanding wines in the world: and third, he boasted that his daughter, Ain't Millie, was the city's number one beautiful woman, and seemed to be unique in the world. There was a young man in town named Akinruth who came to the hotel every night to relax for a while, a crew member on a freighter that traveled up and down the Hudson River. Over the years, he and Emily fell in love. This young man is good natured, practical work, the old Kerry heart like him, but often tease him and say: "young man, you want to eat swan meat? Give you a condition, you quickly try to become a captain." The young man is very persistent, study hard, work hard, a few years later finally became a captain, Ai Enmily naturally also became his wife. On the wedding day, the old man was so happy that he took out all the best aged wine from the cellar and mixed it into "The Greatest Wine" and decorated the rim of the glass with a rooster's tail feather, which was very beautiful. Then he toasted to his daughter and top son-in-law and shouted, "Long live the cocktail!" Since then, cocktails have become very popular.

How to make a cocktail

1. Stir

Pour the desired liquor and its ingredients into a mixing glass with ice cubes, and use a mixing spoon to stir the glass slowly in a certain direction. Hold the glass firmly with your other hand. When your hand feels cold, the glass is cooled and ready to be poured through a strainer into the desired serving glass.

2. Shaking

The purpose of the "shaking" technique is twofold: one is to keep the flavor of the higher-alcohol drinks down so that they can be easily consumed, and the other is to allow harder-to-mix ingredients to blend together quickly. Therefore, when using a shaker, the ice and ingredients should be put into the shaker first, and then a strainer and lid should be added. The strainer must be placed properly or the ingredients will seep out of the jug when it is shaken. Once everything is in place, proceed as follows:

(1) The thumb of the right hand is pressed on the lid of the jug:

(2) The ring and little fingers are used to hold the body of the jug;

(3) The middle and forefingers are brought together to support the body of the jug;

(4) The middle and ring fingers of the left hand are placed at the bottom of the body;

(5) The thumb is pressed on the strainer, and the forefingers and little fingers are held on the body of the jug.

(6) The middle and little fingers are placed at the base of the body. little finger hold the body of the pot.

Then you can keep shaking it up and down, but don't press your palm against the mixer, otherwise your hand temperature will melt the ice inside the jug through the mixer, resulting in a lighter cocktail. When shaking, the hand of the mixing jug should be placed between the shoulder and chest, and was horizontal horizontal line, and then back and forth back and forth to do a regular piston type movement, about 15 to 20 times. When the surface of the mixing pot coated with a thin layer of frost mist, you should immediately open the lid, and then use your forefinger to hold the filter, will be poured into a cold glass beforehand, you have completed the entire "shake" mixing operation procedures.

3. Mixer to play

With the mixer to mix drinks, the operation is relatively easy, as long as the order of the required materials into the mixer, sealed tightly top cover, start the power switch can be. However, when the cocktail is poured into the carrier glass, be careful not to pour ice into it, and if necessary, use an ice strainer to filter out the ice first.

4. Mix and

Pour the wine slowly into the glass according to the different density, the formation of layers. Note: The densest wine is placed in the lower layer, and the wine should be poured slowly along the walls of the glass. Everyone is familiar with the rainbow wine is so out of the mix.

Cocktail characteristics

Cocktails after more than 200 years of development, the modern cocktail is no longer a simple mixture of several kinds of alcohol and ethanol drinks. Although there are many kinds of different formulas, but are carefully designed by the bartenders masterpiece, its color, aroma, taste part-time preparation, loaded with exquisite, decorative gorgeous, rounded, coordinated taste outside the view color, smell incense, more enjoyable, a sense of relief. Even its unique cup shape, simple and appropriate decorative embellishments, all full of poetry and picturesque. The cocktail traits, modern cocktails should be characterized as follows:

1. Definition of cocktails

Cocktails are made from two or more non-water beverages, of which there are fewer than one alcoholic beverages. Cocktails do not include lemonade or Chinese flavored white wine.

2. A wide variety of styles, different mixing methods

There are many types of ingredients used in cocktails, and the number of ingredients used in each drink varies, such as two, three, or even five or more. Even if the cocktail is determined by the popular types of ingredients, the amount of each ingredient in the different regions, people's tastes are different and there are big changes, so that the title of the new name.

3. Stimulating flavor

Cocktails have a certain alcohol concentration because of their stimulating nature and the ability to empower the drinker. With the appropriate alcohol, so that the drinker's nervous line to ease, muscle relaxation, and so on ......

4. can enhance the appetite

Cocktails Ba should be to enhance the appetite of the moisturizer. After drinking, the drinker's taste should be improved due to the effect of trace flavored beverages such as sour, bitter and other beverages contained in the wine, and should never lose their appetite or become anorexic as a result.

5. Taste superior to the single component

The cocktail must have superior taste, and this taste should be superior to the single component. When tasting a cocktail, the taste buds of the tongue should be fully expanded and long enough to taste the exciting flavors. If it is too sweet, too bitter or too tangy, it interferes with the ability to taste the flavors and reduces the quality of the drink, which cannot be allowed when mixing.

6. The nature of cold drinks

Cocktails need to be sufficiently chilled. Like rum-like mixed drinks, with boiling water regulator with, naturally, is not a typical cocktail. Of course, there are also some types of drinks that neither use hot water nor emphasize freezing with ice, but some of their ingredients are min, or at room temperature, and this type of mix should also belong to the category of cocktails in the broader sense.

7. beautiful color

Cocktails should have a detailed resignation, elegant, proportionate, uniform tone. Conventional cocktails are clarified and transparent or cloudy two sides of three kinds of types . Clarified cocktail bar should be transparent color, in addition to a very small amount of fresh fruit into the solids, without any other sediment.

8. Cocktails should be served in a cup of the right size, in a new style and color, and with the right volume. Garnish is not necessary, but often, they are for the wine, as if the icing on the cake, make it more attractive. Moreover, some of the garnishes themselves are also flavorings.

cocktail party

The scene of some of the grand fashion conference is often accompanied by a cocktail party, mostly arranged before the start of the conference, in the space outside the performance hall. Cocktail party is a traditional social program in western countries. Slightly more active housewives, if the economic conditions allow has not been afraid of trouble and leisure, a week at home to organize two cocktail party is also there. In China, the cocktail party is always associated with a luxurious scene, exquisite small amount of food and well-dressed, courteous guests so some impression.

Guests invited to a cocktail party are generally expected to be well groomed. For example, men should wear suits or tuxedos, women should make up and wear formal dresses and so on. Secondly, they should be courteous and elegant. Men should be respectful of the lady, such as pulling the chair for the lady, take off the coat, take the wine, etc. (but the Chinese men dare to show this gentlemanly and do not do a lot of leisurely and comfortable). At a cocktail party, one should speak in a low voice, take small sips, and eat in small quantities. Certain people are sometimes considered to be ungrateful when they show their gluttony due to their hunger (etiquette sometimes seems like an adorable hypocrisy used to fight against one's instinctive needs). Etiquette can also be internalized as a natural part of a person's temperament. People who come to a fashion show are generally willing to accept the etiquette dictated by mainstream society, despite the fact that from time to time, avant-garde or subcultural fashions are presented on stage.

The following behaviors should be avoided when attending a cocktail party:

1. Arriving early, even a minute early, is not good; arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled end time, then staying for an hour, dragging your host around when he is exhausted.

2. Shake hands with a cold, wet right hand (remember to hold your drink in your left hand).

3. Shake hands with a person who has taken a meal in his right hand and has not yet wiped it clean (please take the meal in your left hand, or else wipe your hand carefully with a napkin immediately after eating).

4. It's very rude to look around when you're talking to someone, as if you're afraid of missing someone more important. But at a cocktail party. But at a cocktail party, this mistake is very common.

5. Rushing to talk to the VIPs and not letting others have a chance to talk to them.

6. Dragging the host into a serious discussion. You should know that your host has more important things to do than to talk to you all night long!

7. Hogging the dining table so that other guests don't have access to the food.

8. flick ashes onto the carpet, or use a glass as an ashtray, and then leave it alone

Single Story - Cocktail Party Attire

To illustrate what cocktail party attire is, of course, you have to first understand what cocktails and cocktail parties are. A cocktail party is a drink made by mixing liquor and other ingredients into a drink of considerable variety, and in Europe, it was generally accepted at the beginning of the 20th century. Later, Americans preferred a relatively relaxed but formal social gathering than a dinner party, and often drank cocktails at the party, so cocktail parties gradually became fashionable.

On such occasions, women obviously had a very clear social purpose, so clothing was more elaborate than usual. Even the names of the cocktails were romantic, such as the familiar "Bloody Mary" and "Angel's Kiss", and the costumes were glamorous and appropriate for the occasion.

Beginning of the cocktail party costumes have extreme feminine tenderness, typical colors are pink, blue, beige, burgundy and white, of course, but also the mysterious black. Fabrics were made of silk and other light and gorgeous varieties, with lace, beads, ribbons and other decorations. Hats made of feathers and light veils are also frequent items. Handbags are tiny, handkerchiefs are a must, and makeup is heavier, especially lipstick in much darker colors than during the day.

In the 1930s, cocktail party costumes have not been distinguished from other occasions, that is to say, whether it is a dinner party, afternoon tea or go to a cocktail party, can not yet be clearly reflected from the clothing. Later, the cocktail party costume gradually matured, usually elegant formal dress, silk, velvet and other fabrics, made of exquisite workmanship, but the length and daytime wear clothing is not very different, usually below the knee, revealing the ankle and part of the calf. They are usually below the knee, revealing the ankles and part of the calf. They are distinguished from the floor-length dinner dresses. The tops are usually tight fitting, and the breasts are less exposed than in evening wear. Younger people often added large bows to their blouses, which were made of silk, taffeta, and sized fine cotton.

In the 1940s, cocktail parties entered the everyday vocabulary with unwritten rules, and American women often carried small, stiff, new-fangled cocktail party bags to and from such social occasions.

Toward the end of the 1950s, the tutu was widely accepted as one of the main styles of cocktail attire, with fitted suits embellished with embroidery and beadwork, and fur trims were all the rage. An indispensable accessory for the cocktail dress was a pair of gloves, either long evening gloves or short embroidered ones.

In the mid-1960s, under the influence of liberal thinking, such clothing was left out for a while because it felt too pretentious. But by the '80s, the return of luxury brought cocktail dresses back to capitalize on the trend, and they remain a key piece in many women's closets to this day.

Nowadays, the requirements for cocktail dresses should be said to be much looser than when they first started, for example, pants can also be worn, leather products can also be worn, but the basic principle remains the same, that is: between daytime wear and dinner dresses, full of femininity and romantic, sophisticated style.