1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

PRACTICAL BAR MANAGEMENT

A Cork Extractor (the three-pronged type is the favourite). There are many ways of getting a cork out of a special bottle, including the lassoing with a piece of string, but the Cork Extractor is the tool made for the job and is therefore the best method. Should it be the cork that is needed and not the bottle, a sharp crack with a hammer on the bottle is an even quicker way of releasing the imprisoned cork. A Pair of Champagne Cork Pliers. Essential for removing champagne corks, which seem to be completely joined to the bottle. Use the same movement as your favourite dentist when he removes one of your back molars. Two Crown Cork Openers. These should be permanent fixtures to the bar, it prevents panic reigning during the crisis of searching pockets to find who has hidden the loose opener. It is suggested that if permanent ones cannot be fitted, the loose one should be tied to a long piece of string, or chain, or the Queen Mary's anchor. Three Spirit Measures. The size, either 5,6,or7out, will be determined by the establishment's requirements. Suggest that one is used especially for highly flavoured or aromatic spirits, etc. A Fruit Knife, Fork, and Cutting Board, also a Lemon Peeling Gadget. The latter is very useful for cutting nice uniform strips of peel from the lemon or orange, minus a surplus amount of pith. A Fruit Squeezer. Either an electric or a hand model, for extracting the juices from fresh fruits. A Pair of Lime"Tweezer Squeezers". Similar in principle to a large pair of pliers, and really the only method capable of doing the job of extracting the juice from these small citrus fruits. A Strauster and Funnel(or a combination of both). Ice Crusher or an Ice Shaver. For the purpose of producing finely-ground ice for Juleps, and similar drinks. Ice shavers are a little out of date now, as one requires a large block of ice to work on and plane down. In most bars the ice is already broken up ready for service, therefore ice crushers are more favoured as ice already broken into sizeable pieces is needed for them. These crushers can either be electric or hand-turned like a mincer. Failing any of this equipment, a heavy canvas bag and a wooden 58

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