What does muddle the mint mean

Muddling will create a bitter taste, he says. All you have to do is remove the leaves from the stem, and throw them into the shaker with the rest of the ingredients.

The mint flavor will still be pronounced, but you'll avoid any bitter flavor or discoloration from pounding the leaves. Of course, if you're master mixologist Dave Arnolod —founder and president of the Museum of Food and Drink , who just opened new bar Existing Conditions in NYC's Greenwich Village this week—you could use liquid nitrogen to freeze the leaves to avoid what he calls the "swampy" taste that results from muddling.

Since not everyone has liquid nitrogen lying around at home, though, Arnold suggests using a blender as an alternative: just a quick pulse with all the ingredients, and passing everything through a strainer.

This method won't impart quite as fresh a flavor as the liquid nitrogen technique, but it's better than crushing the leaves by hand. Take note, however: With the blender method, it's crucial to make at least two drinks, Arnold cautions, because the blade needs to be completely covered with the herbs.

No problem there. Another pro tip? When you're garnishing a cocktail—mojito or otherwise—with a sprig of mint, don't simply plop it in the glass, Collina says. Instead, twist it in your hand, then stick the sprig in, let go and watch the leaves unfurl.

The garnish will look fresh and alive this way—a brighter garnish to match that brighter-tasting, muddle-free mojito. And without the muddling, you're cocktail will be ready to drink that much faster. Where will that chlorophyll wind up? If you've ever had a grassy-tasting mojito, that's probably why. Next, contemplate your muddler. You can use a variety of items to muddle a drink; there's no actual need to go out and buy a muddler.

The handle of a rolling pin will do in a pinch. If you do buy a muddler, be careful what you buy. You want a muddler that has not been varnished or lacquered.

The varnish on a muddler will eventually wear off, and where will it wind up? So choose a muddler made of unvarnished wood.

Other types are made of stainless steel with a plastic or hard-rubber muddling base, and those are fine too. But avoid the type with teeth on the end; they're great for muddling the juice and oils from fruit, but they can cause you to shred the leaves of mint and other herbs.

With those warnings behind us, the question now is, what's the right way to muddle? Not like this; this is the wrong way:. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads.