Glasses should always be washed and dried with a glass cloth to ensure they are sparkly clean. Although some recipes suggest chilled glasses, don’t be tempted to put the best crystal in the freezer, leave it at the back of the fridge instead.

1. Cocktail or martini glasses
Classic and elegant this glass is a wide conical bowl on a tall stem, which keeps warm hands away from the drink. It holds about 150ml 1 ¼ pint.

2. Collins glass
The tallest of the tumblers, narrow with perfectly straight sides, it hold about 300ml 1 ¼ pint and is typically used for long, drinks made with fresh juices or topped up with soda.

3. Old fashioned glass Classic short (whisky) tumblers are used for shorter drinks which are served “on the rocks”. They hold about 175ml 1/6 H 0z.
4. Highball glass The middle-sized tumbler and the most used it holds about 250m 8H 0z.

5. Liqueur glass
A tiny glass for small measure of about 50ml ½ H 0z .
6. Brandy Balloon or snifter This glass has been designed to trap the fragrance of the brandy in the bowl of the glass. The cocktail is further helped by being cupped in the palms of the hands to warm it gently and release the aromas.

7. Large cocktail goblets
These very are size and shade and are used for serving larger fronthy drinks such as tropical cocktail pinacoladas. This wider rims of these glasses leave plenty.

8. Champagne glasses
Champagne can be poured either into attractive and old fashioned – champagne bowls or tall and slim flutes. The champagne flute is the more acceptable glass to use as it is more efficient at conserving the fizz and the bubbles.

9. Red wine ballon
The most useful size of wine glass, holding 300ml ½ pint. They are only filled to half their capacity to allow the wine to be swirled around inside.

10. White wine glass
This is a long-stemmed medium sized glass that, one again standing on a short stem. Used for floating or layered stronger liqueur.

Garnishes It is far more eye-catching not over cocktails, otherwise they all too quickly look like a fruit salad. Less is best: these little edible garnishes should reflect the contents of the glass. Frosting glasses with salt and sugar is a simple but effective touch which hardy needs much extra help or assistance. Edible garnishes are always best and should reflect the contents of the cocktail. Citrus fruits are widely used because they stay appetizing to look at and can be cut in advance and kept covered in the fried for a day, until required. Apple pear and banana are suitable, but they do discolour on exposure to the air. Soft fruit such as strawberries fresh cherries, peaches apricots and redcurrants make fabulous splashes of colour and add a delicious flavour. The maraschino cherry is a popular option and never ending supply of exotic fruit fruit together offer endless decorative possibilities. But not all garnish and decorations are fruit-based grated chocolates and nutmeg adorn egg-nogs and flips decorated ice cubes.