Mixing the Perfect Drink
Mastering the vocabulary of a Barkeeper (bartender) will help you mix or order your favorite drinks with confidence. Before we step behind the bar, let's look at a special word used to describe the absolute best of something.
The Epitome Particle: schlechthin
To emphasize that something is the absolute or ultimate example of its kind (like "the ultimate [noun]" or "[noun] par excellence"), German uses the word schlechthin.
Simply place schlechthin directly after the noun it emphasizes. Because it is a particle, its form never changes.
| The bartender is preparing the cocktail par excellence. | Der Barkeeper bereitet den Cocktail schlechthin zu. |
| That is the drink par excellence for the summer. | Das ist das Getränk schlechthin für den Sommer. |
Notice how schlechthin immediately follows Cocktail and Getränk, marking them as the supreme examples of their categories. This particle works just as well for describing people:
| He is the ultimate bartender, although he never uses syrup. | Er ist der Barkeeper schlechthin, obwohl er nie Sirup benutzt. |
Behind the Bar
Now let's put this into practice with some essential bartending vocabulary. You will need a Shaker (shaker), Eiswürfel (ice cubes), and something to garnieren (garnish) the glass, such as a Limette (lime) or an Olive (olive).
| The bartender is mixing the cocktail in the shaker with ice cubes. | Der Barkeeper mischt den Cocktail im Shaker mit Eiswürfeln. |
| We have garnished the cocktail with an olive. | Wir haben den Cocktail mit einer Olive garniert. |
| Without a shaker and ice cubes, it is not the ultimate cocktail. | Ohne Shaker und Eiswürfel ist es nicht der Cocktail schlechthin. |