Why A Salted Rim Gives Any Cocktail A Major Upgrade
A salted rim is a quintessential part of the iconic margarita, frozen or on the rocks. But for the very reasons a salted rim works wonders for margaritas, it can give nearly any other drink a wow-factor boost.
Salt has a few tricks up its sleeve when it comes to manipulating flavors and the way we consume beverages. For one thing, salt actually blocks our perception of bitterness, thereby bolstering sweetness. It's just like how we use salt in baking recipes -- if you get some salt with your sip of cocktail, you'll experience less bitterness and more sweetness, and that allows other flavors to shine through, from citrus' acidity to gin-like botanicals to briney savoriness, depending on your tipple. That acidity is key, as salt is known to make that flavor pop, which explains the margarita connection.
Salt is considered a flavor enhancer in general, mostly because it pulls out moisture in food and drinks, which concentrates flavors and makes them bolder. Plus, salt can even impact the consistency of your cocktail. It can make you salivate more, and the presence of more saliva can create the impression of a slightly fuller, silkier drink. From suppressing bitterness -- which is even more appealing if bitter notes have kept you away from cocktails like the negroni -- to emphasizing other flavors to enriching mouthfeel, a salted rim is a game-changer with more versatility than it gets credit for.
Read more: 23 Cocktails To Try If You Like Drinking Gin
Different Salted Rims For Different Cocktails
The possibilities are nearly endless, as you can add a salted rim to any cocktail to play up sweetness and other individual flavors. A classic daiquiri, with its sweet rum, demerara sugar, and bright lime, is a perfect example. Ditto that for salty dogs and palomas, with their grapefruit element; a bloody mary is a great pick, too, as salt will spotlight spicy, savory, and umami notes.
You can also incorporate other flavors right into the salted rim. For margaritas and other cocktails involving agave spirits and bright citrus, try a spiced up rim by adding Tajin or chili powder. This is a great time to use jalape?o powder, too. Any of those would kick your next bloody mary up a notch. You could also work in black pepper, garlic powder, or even everything bagel seasoning, which is brilliant with a dirty martini, too.
Smoked salt provides a warming, savory effect that adds complexity to everything from margaritas to negronis to Manhattans. Incorporate cocoa powder for espresso martinis, or crushed freeze-dried strawberries or other fruits for daiquiris, punches, or the bramble, a simple gin and blackberry liqueur cocktail. There are so many unique ingredients for your salted rim -- if you can grind it, you can use it, and the results promise to be explosively flavorful.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
