Sweet and sour
This mix is used in a lot of liqueur-based drinks. It can be found pre-made at a liquor or grocery store. Savvy Tip: If you can’t get to a store in time for a drink, or you just want a quick and easy project, mix together some simple syrup, fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juice and a little bit of fresh water (preferably not tap). Refrigerate the mix in an airtight container. Your self-made mix will last about 10 days.

Twist
A strip of a fruit’s peel twisted in the middle and added to a drink as garnish.

Zest
Garnish made from the skin or peel of a lemon, orange or lime. To create zest, use a special tool called a zester that has little teeth at its top. Savvy Tip: If you don’t have a zester on hand, use the finest sized grater you have in your kitchen.

HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF WINE
A cork is a cork, of course, of course. But not all corkscrews are alike. To remove a cork, first take off the seal at the top of the bottle. Push the screw part of your corkscrew into the cork, and twist until the spiral of the screw is completely inside the cork. If you have a corkscrew that has levers on either side, push these levers down and the cork will pop up. If you have an old-fashioned corkscrew with no levers, hold the bottle firmly in place between your body and an arm or have someone else hold it for you. Gently rock and pull the top of the screw back-and-forth until the cork pulls all the way out.

HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE
Wrap a bottle with a clean towel and hold it firmly in one hand. (The towel will help keep it from slipping out of your grasp while opening and pouring.) With your free hand undo the wire around the cork. Be careful to position the cork away from your face, your guests, pets and expensive breakable objects. Then carefully use both thumbs to apply pressure and push out. Make sure to twist slowly while doing this. Savvy Tip: Since it’s a little hard for small hands to maneuver the bottle in the aforementioned way, you can also hold the cork in one hand and hold the bottle by its indentation in the other. Slowly turn the bottle and the cork will pop out.