Learn how Debbie of @recipesbydebbie taught herself how to make beautiful cocktails at home.
Name:
Deborah
Location:
Toronto, Canada
Go-To Cocktail:
Sour (any spirit!)
Instagram:
@recipesbydebbie
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into mixology? Who/what/where taught you what you know?
I have been making cocktails at home for many years. At one point in time, I only drank sweet white wines with ice. Then I got caught up in the red wine craze. About 10 years ago, my husband and I (with two children) decided we needed to spend more quality time together without the kids. Hence, date nights began. I started looking up martini style drink recipes and every Friday night I would make a special cocktail. That’s when my bar took shape. My drinks got fancier as presentation became more important. Five years ago, my daughter wanted me to start posting on Instagram. I said no, but she continued to harass me until I finally agreed in August 2018. At that time, I thought I would include food recipes so that is how the name originated. Since that time, my recipe creations, as well as presentations, have changed dramatically. I consider this hobby to be my creative outlet. I use fresh ingredients whenever possible and have developed a bit of a reputation as a syrup queen! When I am thinking about making a drink, I often have a certain ingredient in mind. I look in my bar to see what spirits I have that would go with it, think about pairings that I have used in the past, or go to my favorite book The Flavour Bible. I love Spring, Summer, and Fall the most because I can go out to my garden or go for a hike and find all kinds of things to use for garnishing or as ingredients. I am willing to take risks and sometimes meet with success, and sometimes, utter failure! The longer I play the cocktail game, the better I get!
What are you excited about in the world of mixology right now?
There are so many exciting things taking place in the world of mixology! First of all, the creativity with ingredients is astonishing. Basically, anything goes! There is a drink for every palate including sweet, spicy, sour, savory, herbal, and bitter. Many of these are combined which makes a drink even more complex. Secondly, garnishing is quickly becoming an essential element in the overall execution. They range from the tiniest accent to the most elaborate of props! Sometimes garnishes are in the drink, but are now often found anywhere on the glass. Again, anything goes! Finally, there are a lot of new products being used which heighten all of the senses. There is so much more to think about than just flavour. Appearance (drink and glassware), texture, and aroma all play an integral role in the cocktail experience!
What is one cool thing you’ve learned that you can teach our community?
One aspect of drink making that I have been experimenting with is layering. I recently posted a flaming cocktail with 4 layers. I have learned that the densest liquid goes in first, and the least dense last. I researched densities of spirits and most are very close, so it is a challenge! I wasted a lot of booze over two days trying to perfect that one! It’s much easier to make two layers with the sweeter ingredients mixed on the bottom and the less sweet above. Of course, the trick is to add layers slowly by pouring over a spoon.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I am so inspired everyday by this wonderful community! By that I mean other mixologists as well as my followers. When I see comments praising any aspect of my drink, it is the greatest incentive to keep on going! To be honest, I am sometimes overwhelmed by the incredible cocktails that show up in my feed! Due to time limitations, I’m unable to read each post and comment, even though that is always my goal! One thing I have found to be essential is socializing with others who have a similar passion. When I had 70 followers, a wonderful lady messaged me, as well as some others, and asked if we would like to be part of an international group of ladies who love mixing drinks. I thought she must be crazy asking me! I had every intention of declining but after a few minutes of considering the offer, I thought, “What the heck do I have to lose!” It was the best decision and turning point in my Instagram career! That special lady was Rhonda @the_margarita_mum! So much of my energy and ideas for recipes, garnishes, photography, and overall presentation come from daily conversations with these talented females. They are extremely knowledgeable, helpful, non-critical, and supportive. There are many other people in the drinkstagram community who regularly share my drinks on their pages and in their stories. This, along with entering into several drink contests hosted by @bestcocktails, has made my journey so much more fun! The publicity and support has been outstanding! It takes a caring community to raise a home bartender like me…@recipesbydebbie!
