Garnishing with Fruits and Veg

There are unlimited ways to garnish a cocktail, from the simple to the sublime. Today, we'll share some ideas using the fruits and veggies in your refrigerator. Garnishing, aside from making your cocktails look fancy, can even help cut down on waste. Have a orange about to go bad? Cut it up and dehydrate it. Used the lime juice but still have the peel intact? Make a beautiful rose topper.

Dehydrated Citrus Wheels: You can make this one ahead of time but looks like you spent all day making it. Cut the wheels 1/4 inch thick and dry them in an oven at 170 degrees for 4-5 hours or until they are completely dry. Might be a little tacky to touch still but will harden when they cool on the counter. Store in cool dry place.

Ribbons: This garnish works for cucumber, carrots, rhubarb and more. Cut your vegetable in half and use a veggie peeler to create a solid ribbon from the middle of the vegetable. You can twist the ribbon around the glass or skewer the ribbon and rest on top of the cocktail.

Small citrus twist: Sometimes big and flashy isn't the way to go. Your sexy martini doesn't need much more than a twist. Using your veggie peeler, pull a strip from your desired citrus. Using a knife, cut the peel so you have a long thin strip. Twist around a skewer or toothpick and squeeze slightly to hold the shape, remove and place over lip of glass.

Fringed edge citrus peel: Even the simplest of garnishes can be interesting. A pasta or pastry crimper is helpful but it not, use your paring knife and cut your favorite design into your citrus peel.

Fans: Stunning and edible, create a simple fan garnish with apples, pears or other sturdy fruit. Cut thin slices of fruit and pierce with skewer or toothpick to hold them together. Fan the pieces and add to drink.

Citrus Peel Rose: Looks elegant but simple to create. Pull a long peel from any citrus. Wrap the peel around itself and pierce with skewer to hold the layers together. Easier than it looks and a beautiful way to top a simple drink.