When it comes to cooking, trying a new recipe can feel like pulling off a high wire act. You’ve likely already shelled out for a bunch of ingredients, spices you’ve never used before, and sometimes even a special pan. It’s not until all the prep time, plus cook time has gone by that you can judge whether or not you’ve been successful. And as someone who has made a few questionable casseroles, I can honestly say that the time and effort put in doesn’t always pay off.
When it comes to making drinks, putting the time and work in isn’t usually the problem. Getting the proportions right is the tricky part. Especially if you’re working with a recipe or a spirit you’re not too familiar with, or you’re trying to mix up a bunch of drinks for a crowd. It’s easy to lose track of how much of which ingredient to use when you’re doubling, tripling or quadrupling a drink order. And if you’re the host, you really don’t want to be bothered with multiplying fractions (3/4 oz per drink for 5 people is how many ounces????). That’s when you get basic, pull out a few bottles of wine and a six pack and call it a night.
There’s an App for That
But we’re not about the basic lifestyle, this blog is called TheLUSHiouslife for a reason: you can live big and fully, without having it break you. Perfect Drink is a gadget I found a year ago that has been my drinks go-to guru. On the hardware side, it consists of a scale to measure ingredients, and the software is an elegant app with drink recipes. Load the app on your phone or tablet, hook up the scale to your device and choose a cocktail from the extensive menu. Place the cocktail shaker or mixing glass on the scale and as the app walks you through the steps for making the drink.
As you pour each ingredient, the scale is making the measurement. Forget about jiggers or measuring cups, just pour and follow along as a light on the screen “fills” the cup to a certain line. A beep tells you when you’ve added the proper amount. It even tells you, then times how long you should shake the drink. The best part is that if you have a heavy hand and accidentally pour too much of an ingredient, it will automatically adjust the amounts called for the other components so that your drink doesn’t come out unbalanced.
The best part is you can mix multiples of a drink by adjusting a setting and the app does all the math. I’ve found the Perfect Drink to be great for entertaining—just set up the scale and tablet, put out your booze and mixers and let your guests play DIY mixologist while you enjoy your evening. And if you can’t figure out what cocktails to make, the app has a feature that allows you to check off a list of all the ingredients you have on hand (spirits, fruit, juices, syrups, mixers) and based on that tells you which drinks on the menu you can create. Whether you’re a new cocktail maker, a sloppy pourer or just bad at math, Perfect Drink is genius.
Perfect Drink is available at Brookstone, Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond for about $40
