Five Easy Cocktail Garnishes to Spiff Up Your Style

Why is it that adding just a little something to a cocktail changes it from ho-hum to fabulous.

Don't get intimidated and think that you need a degree in mixology to make a stunning cocktail.

You just need to know what you can pair with what, and, with a cocktail skewer and a few ingredients, you can be wowing you guest at your next party. Of course you can make these for mocktails as everyone enjoys a fancy drink.

Here are 10 simple but stunning cocktail garnishes for you to try

With just a few simple tricks you can make any drink look fabulous.

You can rim your glass with either lemon or lime so to make sugars, spices and salts stick.

Cutting a slice of lemon make a small slit in it and pull it along the edge of the glass.

Depending how large the slit it will determine the amount of seasoning that will stick to it.

You can dip it in any sort of sugar, salt or spices and they will now stick to the area that had the lemon on it.

I used colored sugar here, the type that you use to decorate cookies.

These sugars come in a rainbow of colors and you will be able to find everything from black to hot pink.

Just dip the top of the glass into the sugar and take it out to dry a bit.

I added a skewer to this drink that had a mixture of Licorice Allsorts. Any kind of bright soft candy can be skewered and added to your mocktail or cocktail.

Remember that you are going to be adding complimentary flavors so you would have a sweet garnish with a sweet drink.

This garnish would be fun at a children's party but make sure that you cut off then end of the skewer so no one gets poked.

If you want a more adult beverage with this garnish then consider something that is on the tart or sour side so the licorice will compliment it.

For a drink that is more savory than sweet rim the edge with a lemon or lime and dip it in a

spice mixture such as celery salts.

The garnish on this is very quick and easy. It is three different colored peppers that are cut into squares and put on a skewer on the diagonal. A mini tomato tops off the skewer.

If you are making a Bloody Mary or a Bloody Caesar (famous and popular Canadian drink) then nix the usual celery and try something like this instead.

Any sort of vegetable can be put on a skewer and added to a savory drink. You could have added a tiny branch of broccoli or cut wedges of cucumber.

For a sweet cocktail you can rim the glass with chocolate and sugars or sprinkles.

Here I melted a little bit of white chocolate in the microwave in 10 second intervals (careful it can burn easily) until the chocolate was just liquid.

Spread out on a small plate I dipped the rim of the glass in it and then while still wet I dripped the rim in a plate of multi-color sprinkles.

Let this dry for a minute or two.

I added a lollipop that I had taped multi-colored curling ribbon to the end and this is used as a stir stick.

While I used a red lollipop you could use a different color for every guest, it would impart a slightly different taste to each cocktail.

If you let the cocktails stand for a while with the lollipop in them, the candy will start to melt and add another color to your drink.

Melting dark chocolate gives you the opportunity to use chocolate on the rim of your glass which is wonderful for coffee or chocolate based drinks.

This was then dipped in a very good quality chocolate sprinkles and shaved chocolate was sprinkled on top.

Rimming the cocktails can be done in advance as long as the glasses are kept in a cool area if they are done with chocolate.

Drinks rimmed with salts, sugars or spices can also be done ahead but with both of them you need to be careful when adding the ice and drinks not to ruin the rims.