3 Bartender-Approved Ways to Garnish Cocktails

Dress up your drinks for the holidays with these festive finishing touches from Ivy Mix, co-owner and head bartender of Leyenda in Brooklyn and the author of Spirits of Latin America.

A New Twist

Grab some mini cutters (sometimes labeled vegetable cutters) and get crafty with that citrus zest! Using a paring knife, slice off a wide swath of peel, then stamp out some shapes. Slip the zest into your drink; use the cute cutouts as a cheese-platter garnish. 

Make Your Mark

With a small knife (a utility knife works well), cut out a simple shape in the center of a plastic deli lid to make a stencil. Place the lid over your drink, then dust with confectioners’ sugar mixed with cinnamon, cocoa powder, or nutmeg, if you’re serving eggnog. 

Berry Good!

Olives and pickled onions are a classic martini garnish, but caper berries, the pickled fruit of the caper plant that’s about the size of a large olive, are a swanky holiday upgrade. Look for them near the pickles and olives, or order them online. 

This article originally appeared in our Holiday 2020 issue. Get the magazine here.