Pomegranate Rosemary Holiday Cocktail

Tools of the Trade

Learn all about our favorite tools for making fabulous cocktails in my Cocktail Crafting 101. To make this avocado margarita recipe, you’ll need a shaker and a muddler.

• Boston Cocktail Shaker – This is a classic two-piece shaker where you have a larger metal shaker (usually 28oz) and a smaller shaking tin or glass (usually 16oz). You need to use a hawthorne strainer (usually comes with most Boston Shaker sets) to pour the drink which is easy to use once you get the hang of it. I like a Boston Shaker because you can either use it as a shaker or just use the larger glass to stir drinks. It is also very easy to separate the two pieces after shaking, making clean up a snap.
• Cobbler Cocktail Shaker –  This other major type of shaker has a removable top with a built-in strainer. This makes it easier to pour since the strainer is built in, but clean up is trickier. Removing the lid of a Cobbler Shaker can be challenging as the metal expands when it’s cold and you have three pieces to clean in between drinks. However, it’s still a great shaker and I use ours frequently. 
• Muddler – A muddler allows you to smash and blend various fruits, herbs, or vegetables before adding the liquid ingredients. This process helps release the flavors of these ingredients much more than shaking (grab a leaf of mint and rub between your fingers for a few seconds and you’ll get the idea). For the longest time, I used the handle of an ice cream scoop to muddle. Boy, was I missing out! A good muddler makes it so much more effective.