Shaken & Stirred

I've had cocktails on the brain lately. Cocktails, cocktails, cocktails. However, anyone who knows me well knows that this is nothing knew.

I've enjoyed a well made drink for many years now but recently its accelerated with tinkering & writing recipes & (the hard part) sampling.

There are a few things that everyone should have on hand in order to have a well stocked bar.

1 stainless steel cocktail shaker with strainer
Peychaud's bitters
Angostura bitters
2-4 martini glasses
1 bottle of gin (I prefer Hendricks, Citadelle, Magellan & Corsair)
1 bottle of vodka (I prefer Rain)
1 bottle of rye whiskey (Sazerac is the only choice)
1 bottle of bourbon (I prefer Eagle Rare 10, Buffalo Trace, Weller)
2-4 rocks glasses
1 bottle of an herbaceous liquor ( I prefer Herbsaint Original)
lemons
limes
club soda
simple syrup
vegetable peeler (for shaving off a large peel from lemons or limes)

You can do most things with all of these ingredients & they are necessary in a host of different cocktails. Obviously I left out some ingredients but my point is that these are key.

Back to the cocktail laboratory for me.....