Condiment holders

Start by counting how many garnishes your menu calls for. A holder with three compartments is enough for lime, lemon and one standing garnish. If you run an extensive cocktail menu, a six-compartment version is the logical choice. They come in lengths of around 24 to 26 centimetres, which means they fit almost any bar without eating up your working surface.

The material determines how the holder looks and how easily it stays clean. Stainless steel and chrome are near indestructible and belong on a classic bar. Walnut looks warm and suits a venue where the bar itself is on show. Plastic is the lightest and the easiest to replace. Removable inserts are the detail that counts: you lift them out and put them straight in the dishwasher.

Place the ingredients you reach for most often on your dominant hand side, and the less frequently used garnishes on the outside. A consistent arrangement that everyone follows is worth more than the most elegant layout, because in the dark you reach by memory, not sight.

Restock per shift, not per day. Citrus left exposed to the air for hours dries out along the cut edge, and you notice that in a negroni where the orange peel no longer releases any oil. Herbs have it even harder: mint for a mojito should be kept cool and slightly moist, not in an open container under a spotlight. Keep a second set of inserts on hand so you can switch them halfway through without bringing the bar to a standstill.

Garnish is fresh produce and therefore falls under temperature control. So work with small quantities in the holder and the rest in the fridge, rather than the other way around. Cover the compartments as soon as the bar closes.

Removable inserts go in the dishwasher; the holder itself depends on the material. Stainless steel and chrome are fine. Walnut is not: wipe it with a damp cloth and let it dry, otherwise the wood warps. With plastic, check whether the model can take a hot cycle, because thin plastic distorts in a dishwasher running at high temperature.

If you cut the garnish yourself, the garnish trays are one category further along, together with the containers you use for preparation. For the skewering, see the cocktail picks, and use the ice tongs to pick up the ice instead of a glass. If you still don't know which glass goes with which garnish, start with the cocktail glasses, where the shapes are listed by drink.