Busy tinkering with cocktail recipes for my upcoming spirited dinner on Sept. 13 at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. Five gourmet courses, each paired with a cocktail, some classic, some creative, only $75. Serious good deal – you should see the menu the school has come up with! Just working on the recipe for the Pomme Pomme, made with Schramm potato vodka, apple juice, lemon, honey and rosemary. Delicate but complex. Could be delicious. Have to have another one to be sure . . .

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When it comes to making cocktails, one of the most intimidating things, at least to some of us, is the shake. We worry that the liquid will spill, that the glass will break (if we’re using a Boston shaker), that the top will get stuck, that we’ll look stupid, that somehow we’ll just screw it up.

In fact, it’s a pretty easy skill to master, but it does involve a bit of practice — and a few special techniques. Here’s how to do it.

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