Professional bartenders can and often do make drinks without any special tools. However, there are a few items that have become standard equipment at most bars and will make it easier for you to prepare and serve drinks in your home.

--First you will need a jigger, which is just a small metal measuring device that looks like a couple of cones welded together. One side holds 1.5 fluid ounces and the other .5 ounces.

--Next is a shaker tin, which is the same size and shape as a 16-oz. beer glass but made out of metal. It comes with a corresponding shaker glass that fits inside the tin going either direction. Along with the glass and tin you need a strainer, a metal cap with a handle that fits over the top of the tin and allows you to strain all the liquid out of the tin without passing ice or fruit pulp. You can buy any number of these through AlcoholReviews.com by clicking the SHOP button above.

--Last on the list of standard items is a simple bar spoon. I recommend getting one because they're much longer than normal spoons and come in handy when you're trying to tease the last little bit of frozen drink out of the bottom of a blender.

You've probably noticed that liquor bottles in bars have some sort of pour spout in them in place of the top, which allows the bartender to simply pick up the bottle and pour the alcohol into a glass or mixer. If you only buy fifths, liters or quarts, these are a necessity. Move up to half gallons though, and you'll notice that the bottles have plastic pouring inhibitors already in place, making a pour spout unnecessary. If you have a place in your home set aside as a bar area and plan on making a lot of drinks, it's a good idea to get a couple of bar mats. These rubber pads are what the bartender sets the drinks on while they're being prepared. They both stabilize glassware regardless of shape and catch spills without making a mess.

Finally, If you have the money and want to really impress your guests, an industrial strength blender is a nice addition for making frozen or ice cream drinks.A flash blender is also a sexy item that makes all shaken drinks much easier. It takes the place of the shaker in drink preparation, but would only be necessary if you plan on having large parties and hiring a professional bartender.

If any of these items are unfamiliar, stop by your favorite bar or restaurant and ask the bartender to show them to you. I've found all these items at a local restaurant supply house or you could browse one of the online bar accessory stores. In looking around online I've noticed a number of kits that have most of these items. Unfortunately they don't always have all of them and often include a number of items that you may rarely use. My advice is to stick with the list I've given you and purchase them individually and only get other items should they become necessary.

Next time I'll start going into bar setup and fruit preparation, and provide you with a small number of recipes that are easily duplicated. Please send questions or comments to rluck@TheSingleLife.com.

Rodger Luck is currently a software developer residing in South Carolina. He gained his bar experience while in college and has maintained his expertise over the years by working in just about every type of bar, restaurant or nightclub you can imagine.