Seltz and soda

Seltz & soda.

Seltz.

This form of using water in serving drinks is now very much in disuse, even if it is essential for some of them. The strong addition of carbon dioxide helps to make some drinks (especially aperitifs) very sparkling and "alive". This effect is not achieved using other waters even if strongly carbonated.

You have to fill the soda bottle with water without chlorine (the taste would be bad) and it becomes gaseous with the use of cans loaded with carbon dioxide. This element, ingested with the drink, acts on the stomach walls and facilitates a greater secretion of gastric juices, thus increasing the stimuli of appetite and then of digestion.

Soda. It is very suitable for diluting Whiskey and spirits in general. It is normally used, for convenience as a substitute for seltzer. It is spring water with a high degree of carbonic acid and contains salt and sodium carbonate, therefore highly alkaline.

Ice. It is the most important element of the bar, without it it would be really problematic to work. There is an interesting story about it; ".... what difference is there between a barman and an Eskimo? --None, both of them build a house with ice !!! clean, the shredded and snowy one is good for long drinks especially with fruit which must be very cold but, for the preparation of short drinks it is better to use fresh ice just out of the freezer. I had ice makers and it was pretty good as it wasn't very hot. Now that I live and work in Southern Spain, Andalucia, I have grown accustomed to buying ice from companies that supply daily with a better and truly frozen product, in drinks. it lasts much longer and these do not water down.
In general, medium flakes are good for high-ball and long drinks, large pieces are used for aperitifs and cocktails, cobbler and punch will be prepared with small flakes, finally frappée cordial fanzy will need ice pilèe (very small flakes). However, it is good practice to put the ice prepared by the machines in the freezer.