The tools in this category make up a short and somewhat miscellaneous list, but these are important items that no bar could do without:
䡲 Bottle and can openers
䡲 Corkscrews
䡲 Serving trays (round)
䡲 Folios (checks or forms for taking drink order, see Figure 11.9)
Any type of bottle or can opener that is of good quality and does the job is acceptable. Stainless steel is best; it is rust-free and easy to clean. These openers must be kept clean; however, this is an easy task to forget.
The first patent for a corkscrew was held by a British minister named Samuel Henshell. Today there are many different kinds of corkscrews, or wine openers, a few of which are pictured in Figure 4.27. Each one is designed for one purpose:
to extract corks from wine bottles.
The screw, or worm, that penetrates the cork should be made of stainless steel and be 21⁄4 to 21⁄2 inches long and about3⁄8 inch in diameter, with a hollow core
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(a) (b) (c ) (d )
FIGURE 4.27 (a) A waiter’s corkscrew. Courtesy of Franmara, Inc., Salinas, California. (b) A wing corkscrew. Courtesy of PhotoDisc / Getty Images. (c) A Rabbit corkscrew. Courtesy of Metrokane Products and Pollen Design, New York, New York. (d ) A two-prong or ah-so corkscrew with sheath. Courtesy of Franmara, Inc., Salinas, California.
in the middle. (A solid core would chew up the cork.) The screw should have enough spirals to take it completely through the cork. A corkscrew with an elon-gated spiral and a longer pitch (distance) between the twists of the screw makes for easier insertion into the cork. The screw’s edges should be rounded, not sharp.
The waiter’s corkscrew (several are shown in Figure 4.27a) is specifically de-signed for tucking into a pocket to open wines at tableside. This tool includes the corkscrew itself, a small knife for cutting the seal of the bottle, a fulcrum to grip the lip of the bottle, a lever to hold as you ease out the cork. Made of stainless steel, the waiter’s corkscrew folds like a pocketknife.
In Figure 4.27b, the wing corkscrew commonly used in bars is so named be-cause it has ‘‘wings’’ on either side that rise as the screw is twisted in. When the wings are pushed down again, the cork is pulled out. This corkscrew is fine for use at the bar, but it is probably too bulky for table service.
The Rabbit Corkscrew was introduced in 2000 and has won major design awards for its unique mechanical principles. It may look intimidating at first (see Figure 4.27c), with 31 separate parts, but it is easy to master the use of the Rabbit. Its two side handles grab the top of a wine bottle and hold it firmly, and a third handle on top drives the corkscrew into the cork. Push the third handle down quickly, then lift it up just as quickly. Metrokane, the company that owns the technology, says the Rabbit can eject any cork in three seconds. A new Rabbit kit includes a spare worm because repeated use through foil or bottle seals can dull this tool and compromise its effectiveness.
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FIGURE 4.28 Serving trays. Courtesy of Co-Rect Products, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The device pictured in Figure 4.27d is nicknamed the ah-so.
It is a simple pair of prongs that straddle the cork. You place the prongs on the side of a cork, then rock them side to side until they are wedged into the neck of the bottle, between glass and cork. Then the ah-so is twisted and pulled gently, to bring the cork out whole without a puncture in the middle. People who learn how to successfully use the ah-so swear by it, but it can be slow and frustrating for those who have not perfected the tech-nique. For high-volume operations, you will want to invest in an uncorking machine. These machines are mounted on a counter-top with a vise clamp and wingnut. The spiral cork is inserted into the cork, which is extracted from the bottle in a single down-ward stroke. Uncorking machines are between 12 and 22 inches in height. You will need round serving trays in two sizes: 14-inch and 16-inch (see Figure 4.28). Bar trays should have cork surfaces to keep the glasses from slipping.
GLASSWARE
The glassware you use in your bar should be considered an element of your overall de´cor and concept. It has a subtle but clear impact on your customer’s perception of the bar’s style, quality, and personality. A great deal of tradition is involved in cocktail service. Using the proper size and shape of glass for a drink indicates that you know your business and signals a respect for that tradition to your guest.
Glassware can be a merchandising tool, stimulating sales with subtle or flamboyant variations: tall, sleek, frosted pilsner glasses for beer; oversized glasses with thin, delicate rims for certain wines; colorful, whimsical, oversized goblets for Margaritas;
attractive mugs for specialty coffee. The Four Seasons Hotel and Resort in Carlsbad, California, for instance, uses a different glass for every martini recipe! Glassware is not just used for drinks; you are likely to see gourmet appetizers such as shrimp cocktail or ceviche served in eye-catching, oversized martini glasses, or fresh fruit and ice cream looking especially elegant in a large brandy snifter.
As Americans become more sophisticated about their dining preferences, glass-ware manufacturers try to stay one step ahead of the trends. Wine service has seen the greatest impact. Riedel Crystal claims one of the company’s forefathers was ‘‘the first to recognize the effect of the shape of a wineglass on the sipper’s perspective and drinking pleasure.’’ Riedel began in the 1970s to develop a ‘‘gourmet glass’’
series with the Association of Italian Sommeliers. The series began with ten glass sizes and has now grown to 32. Today the company has a total of four separate series of wineglasses at different price points. The latest is a deep, almost black shade of purple, which might shock purists at first! But Riedel’s aim was to make a glass in which fine wine can be judged only by aroma and flavor, without peeking
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N FIGURE 4.29 Martini and margarita glasses. Courtesy of PhotoDisc, Inc.
first at the color. Riedel’s series are getting a fair amount of trade press and might just catch on.
One trend that probably has ‘‘legs,’’ to use appropriate wine terminology, is the use of oversized glasses for serving wines. A large bowl, filled about halfway with wine, leaves plenty of room for swirling the wine without spilling to develop its aroma. Even the Olive Garden, very much a casual dining chain, now uses a 171⁄2 -ounce, Italian crystal goblet for reds, and a 15-ounce glass for whites. Some res-taurants order two sets of stemware, one for wine-by-the-glass programs and bottles under $40; the other, for higher-dollar wine sales. Still others argue that more wine would be sold if the pretense and formality of stemware were eliminated altogether.
For casual dining or other informal establishments, stemware has become strictly functional, or even optional. You must determine whether you will be gaining or losing wine sales by adopting the more informal attitude. The point: Your customers are driving today’s glassware trends at both ends of the spectrum, and yours should match the overall mood of the establishment.
Martini glasses are another trendy family since a good martini has always been an equal combination of good spirits and great presentation. Its top-heavy style became popular in the 1940s; it was a little bit hard to drink from, but showy and distinctive in design. Just to give you an idea of what is available, Figure 4.29 displays one manufacturer’s line of martini glasses. There are dozens more. Smart bar owners and bartenders know that drink presentation makes a pleasant expe-rience more memorable and reflects both the mood and the personality of the bar itself.
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Bowl
Stem
Base or Foot
FIGURE 4.30 The parts of a glass.
As microbrewed beers have become more popular, connoisseurs also have come to expect a variety of beer glasses. Heavier lager beers are generally served in heavy glass mugs with handles; lighter pilsner beers have more carbonation and are best showcased in a tall, narrow glass that widens at the top. For ales, including stouts and porters, a straight-sided, traditional pint glass with a wide mouth enables guests to smell and sip. Customers who know their beers will appreciate the fact that you know how to serve them correctly.