Patent Publication Number: US-2011059214-A1

Title: Method for preparing beverages with flavor enhancing candy fragments

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to making beverages and, more particularly, to a method for preparing beverages with flavor enhancing candy fragments. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bartenders and servers often apply granulated sugar or salt to the rim of a glass to enhance the flavor and the aesthetics of the drink. For example, a margarita may have granulated salt added to the rim of the margarita glass, to add a salty taste to the margarita. And granulated sugar may be added to the rim of a glass to add a sweet taste to a drink like a Lemon Drop Martini. Colored sugars may also be used to add to the aesthetics of the drink; e.g. using a purple colored sugar for a purple colored specialty drink. However, adding salt or sugar only adds saltiness or sweetness to the drink. The salt or the sugar does not add its own particular flavor. Furthermore, the bartender or server will typically have to order colored sugars from a manufacturer as he/she most likely will not have the time or the equipment to dye regular table sugar. 
     Lime juice or lemon juice is typically used to wet the rim of the glass before applying sugar or salt to it. But, the flavor of lemon or lime would compliment certain drinks like Lemon Drop Martinis, but would ruin drinks like Chocolate Martinis. 
     The present invention is a method for enhancing the flavor of drinks with crushed candy fragments. The method may also use flavored liquids to further enhance the flavor of the drink. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a beverage is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of crushing at least one hard candy into fragments, wetting a portion of a beverage container, and applying the candy fragments to the wet portion of the beverage container. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of enhancing a flavor of a beverage is disclosed. The method comprises the step of crushing at least one hard candy into fragments, wherein the at least one hard candy has at least one flavor in common with the beverage, wetting a rim of a beverage container, and applying the candy fragments to the wet rim of the beverage container. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of enhancing a fruit flavored beverage is disclosed. The method comprises the step of crushing at least one hard candy into fragments, the at least one hard candy having at least one fruit flavor in common with the beverage, wetting a rim of a beverage container with an adhesive liquid, and applying the candy fragments to the wet rim of the beverage container. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of several wrapped hard candies. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the candies of  FIG. 1 , shown unwrapped and being crushed into fragments by a mallet. 
         FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of the crushed candy fragments of  FIG. 2  housed within a drawer of a glass rimmer kit. A margarita glass is also shown being wet with a liquid-soaked sponge housed in the glass rimmer kit before the crushed candy fragments are applied to the rim of the margarita glass. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the candies of  FIG. 1  shown unwrapped and being crushed into fragments by a grinder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals and symbols represent like elements. 
     The method of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The method comprises the steps of crushing at least one hard candy  12  into fragments  14 , wetting a portion of a beverage container  18 , and applying the candy fragments  14  to the wet portion of the beverage container  18 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a few hard candies  12  are shown. The hard candy  12  may be fruit flavored (e.g. apple, grape, strawberry, cherry, etc.), herb flavored (e.g. licorice, root beer, etc.), spice flavored (e.g. mint, peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon, etc.), chocolate flavored, and coffee flavored. A commonly known hard candy  12  is the JOLLY RANCHER® hard candy. Commonly know fruit flavors made by JOLLY RANCHER® are Grape Cherry, Apple, Blue Raspberry, Watermelon, Lemon, Mountain 
     Berry, Strawberry, Wild Strawberry, Strawberry-Watermelon, Strawberry-Banana, Raspberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Peach, Orange Tangerine, Banana, Banana Pineapple, and Pineapple. A commonly known root beer flavored hard candy  12  is BRACH&#39;S® A&amp;W® Root Beer Barrels and a popular mint flavored hard candy  12  is the BRACH&#39;S® STAR BRITES® Peppermints. A popular coffee flavored hard candy  12  is WEATHERS® ORIGINAL® Caramel Coffee hard candy and a well-known chocolate flavored hard candy  12  is NESTLE® NIPS® Chocolate Parfait hard candies. It should be clearly understood that the aforementioned hard candy brands are examples of hard candies  12  that may be used with the present invention, but it should be clearly understood that substantial benefit may be derived from the use of other hard candy brands and flavors, even homemade hard candies  12 . 
     The hard candy  12  may have at least one color in common with the beverage  10 . For example, if the beverage  10  is a purple colored Purple Hooter Martini, a person may select a purple colored hard candy  12  (such as a purple JOLLY RANCHER®) to be paired with the beverage  10  so that it matches the purple color of the beverage  10 . A combination of hard candies  12  may also be used for several color combinations; e.g. hard candies  12  with green and white colors may be used to accent a white beverage  10 , like a Scooby Snack Martini on St. Patrick&#39;s Day holiday. Though the green colored hard candy  12  does not match the white color of the beverage  10 , it will accent it. 
     The hard candy  12  may also have at least one flavor in common with the beverage  10 . For example, a BRACH&#39;S® STAR BRITES® peppermint candy may be paired with a Dirty Girl Scout Martini, which has crème de menthe as one of its ingredients. A combination of hard candies  12  may also be used for several flavor combinations; e.g. hard candies  12  with pineapple and cranberry flavors may be used to enhance the flavor of a Bay Breeze Martini, wherein pineapple juice and cranberry juice are ingredients. It is also possible that the hard candy  12  may have both a color and a flavor in common with the beverage  10 . For example, a green apple flavored JOLLY RANCHER® may be used for an Apple Martini because its green color will match the green color of the Apple Martini and its apple flavor will enhance the apple flavor of the Apple Martini. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the hard candies  12  may be crushed by hand with a mallet  16 , hammer, or other instrument. The hard candies  12  may also be crushed with a grinder  24  (shown in  FIG. 4 ), whether the grinder  24  be manually operated or electric. Although these are the two methods shown in the figures, it should be clearly understood that any method or instrument may be used to crush the hard candies  12  into fragments  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the beverage  10  is typically served in some type of beverage container  18 . Oftentimes, specially shaped glasses are used for particular beverages; e.g. a martini glass (see  FIG. 5 ) may be used to serve a martini and a margarita glass (shown in  FIG. 3 ) may be used to serve a margarita. It should be clearly understood, however, that these glasses are used as an example only, and that substantial benefit may be derived from the use of any kind of beverage container regardless or shape or material. 
     A portion of a beverage container  18  will be wet and the candy fragments  14  will be applied to the wet portion of the beverage container  18 . In one embodiment, the rim  20  of the beverage container  18  may be wet so that the candy fragments  14  will be applied to the rim  20  of the beverage container  18 . This will allow the person to taste the candy fragments  14  while sipping the beverage  10 , ideally enhancing the flavor of the beverage  10 . In another embodiment, such as where the beverage container  18  may be a long glass, an inner surface of the beverage container  18  may be wet (above the beverage  10  level) and the candy fragments  14  may be applied to the inner surface of the beverage container  18 . The flavor of the candy fragments  14  will combine with the flavor of the beverage  10 , ideally enhancing its flavor. It should be clearly understood that substantial benefit may also be derived from the outer surface of the beverage container  18  being wet and the candy fragments being applied to the outer surface of the beverage container  18 . This may serve as more of an enhancement of the appearance of the beverage  10 . 
     The beverage container  18  may be wet with an adhesive liquid  22  that helps to bind the candy fragments  14  to the beverage container  18 . A commonly used adhesive liquid  22  is ROSE&#39;S® lime juice, however, it should be clearly understood that any edible adhesive liquid  22  may be used. The adhesive liquid  22  may have at least one color in common with the beverage  10 . For example, a red colored syrup may be used to wet the beverage container  18  for a Cherry Martini (a red colored beverage  10 ). The adhesive liquid  22  may also have at least one flavor in common with the beverage  10 . For example, cranberry juice may be used to wet the beverage container  18  for a Cosmopolitan Martini because cranberry juice is one of the ingredients of the beverage  10 . Furthermore, the adhesive liquid  22  may have both a color and a flavor in common with the beverage  10 . For example, brown chocolate syrup may be used to wet the beverage container  18  for a brown colored Chocolate Martini. 
     The adhesive liquid  22  and/or the candy fragments  14  may be stored in a glass rimer kit  26 . Oftentimes, bar tenders or servers use glass rimer kits  26  to keep their work stations clean and organized. The glass rimmer kit  26  may have a sponge  28  soaked with adhesive liquid  22  and compartments  30  for storing the candy fragments  14 . It should be clearly understood however, that while convenient, use of such a glass rimmer kit  26  is not required. 
       FIG. 5  shows a beverage  10  that has been prepared according to the present invention. Candy fragments  14  are shown applied to the rim  20  of a martini glass. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, it should be clearly understood that although alcoholic beverages are mentioned as beverages  10  in the foregoing application, it should be clearly understood that the present invention may be used for non-alcoholic beverages  10  as well. It should also be clearly understood that the invention should not be limited to the specific examples of the colors, flavors, and combinations thereof, mentioned herein. The hard candy  12  may be chosen so that its color contrasts, compliments, or accents one or more of the colors present in the beverage  10 . And the hard candy  12  may be chosen so that its flavor contrasts, compliments, or accents one or more of the flavors in the beverage  10 . Also, multiple hard candies  12  may be combined to contrast, compliment, and/or accent more than one color or more than one flavor in the beverage  10 . Similarly, one or multiple hard candies  12  may be combined to contrast, compliment, and/or accent a color and a flavor in the beverage  10  simultaneously.