Okay, not essential but why not have some fun and add that personal touch.
A garnish adds extra colour, flavour and style to your cocktail. Ideally, match the quality of your other ingredients and use washed fruit and fresh garnishes that look as good as they taste. The most common garnishes include fruit like cherries, lemons, limes, oranges and pineapple, which bring their flavours and bright colours into the mix. In addition, olives, celery, cucumber or onions are the finishing touches for some of the drier-flavoured concoctions.
Twist or a slice?
A twist of lemon or lime is a small strip of peel that gives great taste and style to many popular cocktails, a good example being the Manhattan and classic Martini. Release the aromatic oils by twisting and squeezing the peel. Often the twist is put on the rim of the glass, dipping into the drink. The fresh juice from the pulp of the fruit adds a zesty kick.
When garnishing with a slice of fruit, be careful with the size - too thin is flimsy, while too thick can unbalance the look and even the flavour of the cocktail. Lime or lemon juice (or egg yolk) can be rubbed on the rim of a glass, and then dipped in salt or sugar.
