LIFESTYLE
How To Create The Ultimate At-Home Bar Cart
By JILL VON SPRECKEN
The Cart
The first step of deciding what bar cart is right for you is figuring out what products you’ll need and balancing that with the space you have. You should also consider if you want a cart with hidden storage, and what material you want the cart to be — transparent materials take up less visual space, and are usually easier to clean.
Shaker
There are three basic styles of shaker, including the Boston shaker, which features two cups that fit snugly together and is almost exclusively used by professional bartenders. Then there’s the cobbler shaker, consisting of a metal cup, strainer, and cap; finally, the French shaker has the shape of a cobbler but without the strainer.
Strainer
If you opt for a Boston shaker, the Hawthorne strainer is the perfect accessory, since it fits in the mouth of a shaker tin or mixing glass. The julep strainer is a more elegant option, but is a tad trickier to use, and if you’re feeling fancy, you can get a fine-mesh strainer that works in conjunction with other strainers.
Mixing Glass And Spoon
Mixing glasses are part of the “nice but not necessary category,” and are used to make drinks that are stirred rather than shaken — of course, this can also be done in the shaker. Bar spoons, on the other hand, are non-negotiable, as they’re perfect for fishing garnishes out of jars and preparing stirred or layered drinks.
Jigger
Usually in the shape of an hourglass, a jigger is a measuring tool that is made of two small cups attached at their bases. Each cup measures out a different volume, such as one and two ounces, and many have measurements on their sides; most jiggers come in stainless steel, but plastic options and other finishes are also available.