home bartender - The ___most important tools for the home bar {part one}

Making cocktails at home does not have to be an expensive or time consuming task. The object of mixing and consuming drinks should be to maximize entertainment and minimize stress and discomfort...otherwise, what's the point?!?! To this end stocking a few (or many if that's your thing) important pieces of bar equipment will make your life easier and speed along the process of making cocktails. Choosing the right equipment for your bar starts with knowing what drinks you and yours enjoy (does this sound familiar?). Sure, we would all love a thousand dollars of Absinthiana, but if you never drink Absinthe, then do you really need a grille, Les Cuilleres or Brouilleur? So start simple, be creative and adaptive (that's just great advice for life, too) and add tools and equipment of quality construction that will last.

Gadgets are REALLY FUN! And some of them can actually be useful. However, as with many other times in your life, improvisation can bridge any gaps in your home bar tool kit. For example, even though I have bartended professionally for years, I do not own a muddler at home...I use a wooden spoon or a pestle from the kitchen...they are great, and let's face it, if I'm muddling a cocktail at home it's probably a Mint Julep and it really doesn't need a fancy muddler (and if you want to experience the perfect mint julep recipe, check this out)! And while we are talking about muddlers, here's a great piece of DIY muddler advice from one of America's top bartenders and my personal hero. I do have several exceptional tools in my home bar that make bartending at home much easier. So let's take a look at what a professional would recommend for a home bar.

Tools and Equipment:

*Juicer - I LOVE citrus in my cocktails! Citrus provides the backbone for many of my favorite spring and summer cocktails. Thus, the most important tool I have for my home bar is a retro yellow mechanical juice press. I will admit that it is not the best option for big oranges, but it knocks out limes. lemons and small oranges easily! However, there are many types and styles of juicers and I have several in my home bar.