How to shake a cocktail properly
Shaking is not just mixing: it chills, dilutes and aerates in 12 seconds. Here is how to do it right.

Golden rule: shake any cocktail containing citrus, dairy or egg. Stir anything that is spirits only (like an Old Fashioned or a Negroni).
Fill the shaker 2/3 with ice, seal it well and shake hard at a diagonal for 10-15 seconds. You should feel the cold in your hands: that is the sign the drink is ready.
Common mistake: shaking timidly. A shy shake neither chills nor aerates. Shake like your life depends on it.
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