ESL Podcast 425 - Serving Drinks and Cocktails
bartender - a person whose job is to make alcoholic drinks at a party or in a restaurant or bar
We trained our bartender to know when to stop making drinks for people who have had too much to drink.
to mix drinks - to make special alcoholic drinks by mixing many types of alcohol, soda, and/or juice
When Dora wanted to learn how to mix drinks, she bought a book that had instructions for all the most popular ones.
to hold (one's) own - to be able to do something just as well as other people can
I'm not a professional swimmer, but I can hold my own in the pool.
name it - an expression used to ask a person to say what he or she wants with the understanding that one will help him or her get it
Can you help me with something?
Sure, name it!
mixed drink - a cocktail; a drink made from many types of alcohol, soda, and/or juice
Her favorite mixed drink is made with vodka, orange juice, and lemon-lime soda.
cocktail - a mixed drink; a drink made from many types of alcohol, soda, and/or juice
Would you prefer to have a cocktail or a beer?
Screwdriver - an alcoholic drink made from vodka and orange juice
Whenever he has a difficult day at work, he drinks a Screwdriver to help him relax.
Bloody Mary - an alcoholic drink made from vodka, tomato juice, and spices (small plant leaves with a strong flavor and odor)
A Bloody Mary might be one of the healthiest alcoholic drinks because it is made with tomatoes.
on the rocks - with ice (used when talking about beverages)
On a hot day, he likes to drink bourbon on the rocks.
highball - an alcoholic drink made by mixing brandy or whisky with soda or water
After work, everyone went to the bar across the street and ordered highballs.
alcohol - the part of a drink like wine, beer, and liquor that makes people relax and act differently than they normally do
How old were you the first time you tasted alcohol?
soda - carbonated water, with or without flavorings; water than has many small bubbles in it
Plain soda water doesn't taste very good because it doesn't have any sugar in it like most sodas do.
garnish - something that is used to decorate a type of food on a plate or a beverage, usually a small piece of a vegetable or fruit
The restaurant uses orange slices to garnish most of its plates.
to stick to (something) - to do something that is very basic; to continue doing something basic that one knows how to do well, without trying to do anything fancier or more complicated
Chopin's music is too difficult for me to play on the piano, so I'm going to stick to children's music.
shot - a small amount of alcohol served in a very small glass that is drunk all at once, all in one swallow
Kelly started coughing after she took a shot of whisky.
straight up - pure; without any water, ice, or other type of alcohol added to a drink
Do you prefer tequila straight up or with a lime?
to lose faith in (someone or something) - to stop having confidence in someone or something; to no longer believe that one can do something
Many people have lost faith in their government.
virgin - a drink that does not have any alcohol but is made to look like an alcoholic drink
Rebah ordered a strawberry margarita for himself and a virgin strawberry margarita for his son.