If you like to impress the girls with your ‘man about town’ act then you need to know that this essential ingredient for any good cocktail is just a fancy name for liquid sugar.  Let’s face it guys, you’ll do anything to make the right impression with the ladies and what could be more impressive than a guy who knows his cocktails?

Cocktails suggest breeding and a worldly wisdom that may only really superficial but first impressions count when you’re looking to make out with the opposite sex.  If you know how to get her taste buds dancing as she gets her lips around that cocktail glass then maybe you are partway to achieving your goal.

Mixology is the art of good cocktail making in fashionable circles.  You need to know that most cocktails include a spirit for alcohol, one liqueur for flavor and another for color and a mixer.  The best tool for mixing cocktails is known as a ‘Boston’ – basically a large metal beaker and matching glass that can be jammed together.

You also need a strainer, a professional measure and the right glasses – either highball or martini – which should be kept cold in the fridge for best results. Don’t forget the syrup de gomme, limes, lemons, olives and plenty of ice.  Then you’re set to go.

Take one half of the Boston and pour in 25ml of citron vodka 25ml of triple sec/cointreau

Half a squeezed fresh lime, a few drops of orange bitters and some ice.  Put the lid on firmly and shake vigourously.  You’ll be serving your impressed female guest with a Cosmopolitan in a martini glass.  When you add the twist of orange and light it briefly with a match to the oil, she’ll love it.

Here are a few others to get you started.

Raspberry Mule  -  50ml Stolichnaya – 10ml syrup de gomme –8 raspberries – half a Lime – 1tsp brown sugar – 90 ml ginger beer

Put raspberries, small wedges of lime, syrup de gomme and brown sugar into glass. Mix until liquid then add vodka and crushed ice.  Top up with ginger beer then serve in a highball glass.

Splice  - 25ml Midori liqueur – 25ml Malibu – 90ml Pineapple juice – 10ml fresh cream

Pour everything but the cream into theshaker and fill three quarters with ice.  Shake nd strain into martini glass and top with thin layer of fresh cream

Oliver Twist  - 12.5ml Noilly Pratt – 75ml vodka/gin  – olive – lemon peel

Pour Noilly Pratt over ice in mixing glass and stir with cocktail spoon.  Strain then pour over vodka/gin and stir to the count of ten.  Serve in chilled martini glass with olive and lemon peel.

Espresso Martini  - 25ml Stolichnaya – 25ml Crème de Cacao (white) – 10ml syrup de gomme – 10ml Kahlua – 6-8 coffee beans.

Crush coffee beans in shaker three quarters full of ice then add other ingredients.  Shake hard before pouring into chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a few coffee beans.

These are just a few of the cocktails currently in fashion though there are hundreds more to choose from.  Girls like guys who know their way around so it won’t hurt to adopt a little sophistication in he type of drink you offer to buy them.  If you know your way around a cocktail shaker who knows what other hidden talents you might have?