How to size a smoking cloche for your cocktail glass

Leave room for the hand that lifts the cover as well as for the glass. · Giamaio

A coupe fits under the dome until you add a long curl of orange peel. The diameter printed on a box tells you little about that last centimetre. Take three measurements with your own glass, a ruler and the plate you plan to serve it on.

Measure the drink as it will arrive

Set up the glass with ice and garnish, even if you leave out the drink. Measure from the base to the very highest point, including the tip of the peel. Locate the widest part too. A broad coupe may meet a tapering dome well below its top.

Place the glass on the serving plate and lower the cloche. Its rim should sit flat without rocking on a raised edge. If you have to tilt the glass to close the dome, try another plate or a taller cover. Repeat with the glass slightly off centre, where it might end up during service.

A dome or a disc?

A dome frames the whole glass and can also cover a small dish. A disc rests on the lip of a tumbler and takes far less counter space. Check that the lip is level and that the garnish clears the cover. What works on a thick tumbler may be awkward on a delicate stem.

Rehearse the lift as well

Stand where the server will stand. Steady the plate, lift the dome and find a clear place to put it. Can you finish the movement without reaching across the guest’s face? The Domus set includes two domes and a disc. Use your favourite glass as the starting point for choosing between them.