Shake/Blend

This method is common with drinks containing fruit juices, cream or eggs. In today's time, a blender is most often used to blend drinks, but the old fashioned shake method is outlined below.

Mixing a drink by shaking it is a well known technique that became popularized during the 1930s. This technique is often used when creating a drink that includes hard to blend ingredients, such as eggs, fruit juices, or cream. Shaking a drink not only blends the ingredients together, it also works to chill the drink to icy perfection.

When shaking a drink, a shaker specifically designed for the job is usually used. There are two types of shakers to consider, both of which are often found made of stainless steel. A traditional model comes in three parts, one of which is a strainer that is built right in. A more modern model has only two parts. One is the shaker itself, while the other is usually a smaller shaker or a mixing glass. If you choose to use a two-part model to shake your drinks, you will need to have a separate strainer on hand.

It is best that you never use a shaker that you have made yourself, such as using two glasses that are placed rim to rim. Not only can a makeshift shaker such as this leak, the glasses can break or chip, which can lead to glass shards dropping into your drink.

Shaking is sometimes referred to as blending. However, although some may think that blending and shaking are the same, they are actually both very different ways to mix a drink. With both techniques, the ingredients will become mixed, but the procedure and tools used are quite different. The blending technique is used when the drink's ingredients, such as fruit, cannot easily be broken down during the shaking process. An electric blender works well for blending drinks.

Procedures:

Shaking

Using a shaker is quite easy once you get the hang of it. Simply add ice until the shaker is 2/3 of the way full. Then it's time to add all the drink's ingredients. Once everything is added, place the lid tightly on the shaker.

With the lid pointing away from your body, firmly shake the shaker for several seconds. It is important that the lid points away from your body in case the lid should happen to come lose.

If a drink contains ingredients that will mix easily, you should shake it for 10 seconds. If it happens to contain egg yolks, which take longer to mix, the time should be doubled. A drink should never be shaken for too long, or it will easily become watered down.

Serve the drink by removing the cover and pouring it into the glass.

Blending

The drink's ingredients should be added into the blender first, then the ice. Although you can use ice cubes, crushed ice blends easier. Begin by blending on a low speed and slowly work your way up to medium speed. There is no particular time limit given for blending a drink, since it can take different amounts of time to reach a smooth consistency.

Blending may seem simple, but there are a few tricks to know. If you notice a hole in the drink while it is blending, it is thin and more ice needs to be added. If it is moving slowly or not at all while it is blending, it is thick and needs more liquid. If it is moving well and has only a small hole in it, then it is perfectly blended and ready to go.