Fruits, berries and herbs are used in almost all cocktails and drinks as either an ingredient or a garnish. The aims of the fruit handling procedures are to provide high quality fruits while minimising waste.

The garnish on a drink is the first thing our guests will see, smell and often eat. Garnishing a drink with a substandard garnish will spoil the experience for your guest, and will make them think negatively about the drink before they have even tasted it. This will destroy all the time and effort you have put into making properly. The best rule for deciding if a garnish in a drink is acceptable:

“If you wouldn’t eat it or have it in your drink, then do not serve it”

By following the following fruit cutting procedures we can minimise waste while serving high quality fruits, berries and herbs.

Fruit Cutting Procedures

• Rinse all fruit (except berries) before cutting
• Always use a clean, sharp knife
• Wash knife and cutting board between fruits
• Do not “over prepare” fruit
• Do not mix old and new batches
• Do not use damaged fruit

Fruit Sensitivities

Lime Wedge

• Cut off stalk end
• 1/8th cut
• Bright green skin (some yellow allowed), without scars
• Fresh and moist, not dried out, not “slimy” and no brown edges on cut fruit

Lemon Slice

• Bright yellow skin (some green allowed), without scars
• “Semi circle” cut, approx 8mm wide
• Fruit should be able to be bitten into, not too much pith
• Fresh and moist, not dried out and not “slimy”

Orange Slice

• Bright orange skin, without scars
• “Semi circle” cut, approx 8mm wide
• Fresh and moist, not dried out and not “slimy”

Cucumber Slice

• Firm flesh, not soft or mushy
• Cut slices on a 45∞ angle
• Slices should appear fresh and moist, no dried out slices

Grapefruit Wedge

• Bright orange/red skin with bright red flesh
• “¼ circle” cut, approx 12mm wide, without too much pith
• Fresh and moist, not dried out and not “slimy”

Passion Fruit wedge

• No “fur” on skin
• Not dried out
• Each wedge must contain fruit meat, able to be eaten

Herbs

• Not dried out and no brown edges
• Stored in some water (changed daily)
• Must appear fresh

Berries

• Never bruised, damaged or mouldy (some bruising acceptable if muddled in a drink)
• Large strawberries to be cut in half a s garnish

End of Night Procedures

Fruit

• Discard any unacceptable fruit
• Drain any water out of fruit caddies
• Cover fruit (not berries) with damp paper

Berries

• Discard any bruised or damaged berries
• Dry out any caddies with moisture/water
• Clean lid of fruit caddies
• Cover fruit with dry paper