Decorating
Decorations are usually used to enhance the look of a coctail but are sometimes vital to the flavor of a drink, such as an olive in a Martini. These decorations are best prepared in advance since they don’t need to be fresh.
Citrus Rind Spirals
These are usually made from lemon, limes and oranges and sometimes placed inside or hung from the rim.
Carefully peel a long piece of rind with a parer or sharp knife. When it is long enough twist it around something cylindrical such as a straw and wait until it dries out.
Citrus Rind Twists and Bows
These are usually made from lemon, limes and oranges and sometimes placed inside, over or hung from the rim. They are usally a little wider than a spiral.
You can use a vegetable peeler for this and use it the same way as a spiral. If you want to place it in the cocktails, squeeze it a little to release the inner oils.
Frosting
The most famous use of frosting is for a margarita, where salt covers the rim of the glass.
To achieve this effect, dip the rim of a glass into a liquid such as water, egg white, or citrus juice, depending on the recipes, and then into a bowl, plate or tray of flavor such as cinnamon, salt or sugar.
Fruit Wedges
Lemon, lime, and strawberries are probably the most used wedges for cocktails.
You can use wedges purely as a decoration, placing them on the rim by cutting into a small section (not too far or it will easily come apart in half). In the case of something like a citrus fruit, you can squeeze it to release the flavor before dropping it into the cocktail. To add a little flavor to the cocktail, you can also swipe the wedge all around the edge of the glass.