Fresh Mint lends a smack of herbal tropical goodness to a wide range of cocktails such as Blue Curaçao Mojito, Jolly Green Giant and Shipwreck. There are varied opinions on whether you should shake or muddle the mint when mixing your cocktail. We recommend experimenting both options. Just make sure you minimize the risk of the mint becoming too bruised or bitter.

The best part of this type of garnish is that it is a low-maintenance herb that can be grown in a bar, garden or even your apartment window. How easy is that?

Wheels, slices, wedges, spirals, twists, and flamed twists. These are some of the most popular fresh orange - and other citrus – garnishes that you can consider when embarking on your next cocktail adventure.

The advantage of choosing these types of garnishes is that they’re very easy to cut and therefore are a great way to set your cocktail presentation apart from others.

Perhaps one of the most common garnishes out there, fresh lime, had to be on our list due to the lime’s natural oil from the skin, that creates a blissful, light zest that perfectly complements the spirits and liqueurs after they have been stirred together.

As with fresh oranges, there are many different cutting styles and techniques that you can experiment with. Some will require more practice than others, but as the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Are you already singing “if you like piña colada…”? Pineapples are one of the most popular tropical fruits out there and they’re usually known for their many nutritional benefits. Also, despite their sweetness, pineapples are low in calories.  Using fresh pineapples as your next garnish does come with a risk; you may be tempted to eat them even before mixing your cocktail.

Despite their deliciousness, pineapples can be harder to handle than other smaller fruits mentioned in our article. So, make sure you have enough time, and all the necessary tools to prepare your fresh pineapple garnishes.

Finally, dried lemons are a great way to use the remaining fruit after creating all your peel garnishes. If your goal is to create as little waste as possible, consider dehydrating your lemons before they start changing color and become slimy.

As well as other citrus garnishes, dried lemons can last for months and nowadays there are many dehydration and preservation methods that can be easily replicated at home. One of these methods is to turn on your oven as low as possible (this will be 200 degrees F for most ovens), cut your lemon into thin wheels, and place the wheels on parchment paper on a baking sheet.

This process will take about 24 hours to be completed, but we recommend checking in every few hours to make sure the wheels don’t over-dry. Follow these tips, and you’ll be on your way to adding a simple but delicious garnish in your next cocktail mix.

Not all types of garnish, of course, are food items. Umbrellas, plastic animals, fancy straws, flags and even plastic swords are among other common types of garnish used out there. In short, the list is long, and the choice is yours. What garnish will you use next?