Perfect lemon twists, skewered maraschino cherries and dehydrated oranges – the easiest ways to up your cocktail game.

In the basic principles of cocktail making – it should whet the appetite, be balanced, be cold and appeal to the senses – the garnish does the heavy lifting in the senses department. Garnishes stoke interest visually and aromatically, AKA they make drinks look and smell good. The liquid might be the substance, but the garnish is the pizazz. And what’s life without a little showmanship? Here, we’re giving you everything you need to up your garnish game and impress your pals (and yourself) next time you wheel out the bar cart.

Signature garnishes for signature drinks

What’s a Dirty Martini without a stick of Sicilian olives? An Amaretto Sour without it’s maraschino cherry? A Bloody Mary without its garnishes is pretty much just tomato juice! Garnishes are important and, if you’ve come to play, it pays to do your homework on the basics. When you’re at a bar, take note of the way drinks are presented. When you order, ask how the house makes it, and add it to your knowledge bank. A gin and tonic is served in a multitude of ways (because gin goes with everything), so it’s always interesting to see how a bar does it. Twist of lemon? Slice of cucumber? Sprig of thyme? Or rosemary? Try them and find your preference.

Ground rules

When bartenders graduate and are given their pouring licence, they take an oath that includes the line, “I will garnish with only the freshest herbs and fruits”. OK, that’s not true, but it is a bartending rule to use the best produce. Fresh ingredients give the taste and vibrancy that the stale does not – regardless, no one wants to look at a piece of wilted celery or bruised lemon in their drink.

Fresh and juicy. These are the easiest of the garnishes, but a lot can be achieved in the execution. For a good twist, usually lemon or orange, you want the fleshy white rind as well as the coloured skin, as that holds a lot of the zest. Rather than using a peeler (which will cut too shallow), cut an even slice of the lemon or orange, then simply slice and peel off all the pulp so you’re left with a clean, thick line of rind. Twist and rest it on the side of the glass.

Pantry essentials

Aside from a herb garden and fresh fruits, it is beneficial to have a few key things in your pantry or fridge for when you’re flexing your cocktail-making skills. A jar of maraschino cherries (which you can easily candy by boiling them in their own juice and sugar), sicilian olives (you can get them in a jar, but they’re often better from the deli section of the supermarket) and good quality sea salt, chilli and black pepper will never go amiss.

Sticks of cinnamon and star anise will do well with whiskey-based drinks, if that’s your go-to.

Most garnishes sit directly in the drink or on the glass, but if you do want an option, toothpicks are great for giving the drinker some control over steeping and flavour. You do not need mini paper umbrellas. Unless you’re making piña coladas, in which case they are, of course, essential.

Freestyling

When coming up with your own garnishes for your favourite sips, look to the main flavour of the drink, and match it. Citrusy, sour drinks, like a Paloma, work well with a slice of lime or grapefruit. While savoury drinks, like a Martini, can be matched with basil or olives. The strength of whiskey works well with mint, or bring out it’s spice and smoke with a stick of cinnamon.

Going pro

When your fresh garnishes are going strong, you might be ready for some new tricks. Dried garnishes are both an excellent time saver (pre-made) and reduce waste because they can last for much longer than fresh garnishes. To make them, you can either air dry them on baking paper in a cool dark area (this is good for herbs), or place them between two sheets of paper towel and pop them in the microwave.

For dehydrated citrus fruits, cut them in thin, even slices (great time to pull out your mandoline) and place them on a tray lined with baking paper. Pop them into an oven preheated to 90°C for 2.5–3 hours. If you want them sweetened or flavoured with cinnamon, ginger or salt, you can sprinkle your mixture over the slices before you pop them in the oven. Once cooled, keep them in an air-tight container. Remember that dried garnishes have a more intense scent and flavour, so when it comes to using them for your cocktail, less is usually more.

Another pro move for garnishes is candying. Candied fruits or edible flowers are great palate matches for sweeter drinks and look very impressive. They are fairly simple to make. You just need white sugar, water and an egg white. Mix 1 egg white with a teaspoon of water and coat the fruit (for flowers it’s better to paint it on with a small flat brush), then sprinkle white sugar over the top and leave it on a cooling rack to dry.

When in doubt

We don’t all have time to get our Nigella on. When you want a garnish and you want it now, without the hassle of doing it yourself, there are stacks of gorgeous ready-made beverage toppers you can buy off the shelf. Some of our favourites? This Bushcraft Botanicals kit includes enough native Aussie fruits and florals (think dried desert peaches, Davidson plums, finger limes, and more) to garnish 20+ drinks. Meanwhile this twin pack from I Am Thirsty features perfectly dehydrated apples and strawberries sourced from local growers. And if standard citrus is what you’re after, go for this jar of orange, lemon and lime slices from Byron Bay’s own Nat Ash Lifestyle.