Best of
Cocktails

2016

Smuggler's Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki


Martin Cate - 2016
    Make yourself a Mai Tai, put your favorite exotica record on the hi-fi, and prepare to lose yourself in the fantastical world of tiki, one of the most alluring—and often misunderstood—movements in American cultural history. Martin and Rebecca Cate, founders and owners of Smuggler’s Cove (the most acclaimed tiki bar of the modern era) take you on a colorful journey into the lore and legend of tiki: its birth as an escapist fantasy for Depression-era Americans; how exotic cocktails were invented, stolen, and re-invented; Hollywood starlets and scandals; and tiki’s modern-day revival. Featuring more than 100 delicious recipes (original and historic), plus a groundbreaking new approach to understanding rum, Smuggler’s Cove is the magnum opus of the contemporary tiki renaissance. Whether you’re looking for a new favorite cocktail, tips on how to trick out your home tiki grotto, help stocking your bar with great rums, or inspiration for your next tiki party, Smuggler’s Cove has everything you need to transform your world into a Polynesian Pop fantasia.

Regarding Cocktails


Sasha Petraske - 2016
    Ingredients, measurements, and preparations are beautifully illustrated so that readers can make professional cocktails at home. Sasha's advice for keeping the home bar, as well as his musings, are collected here to inspire a new generation of bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts.

Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas


Brad Thomas Parsons - 2016
    But in this case, what's new is old--specifically, the centuries-old European tradition of making bitter cordials and liqueurs. In Amaro, Parsons takes readers on a bittersweet tour of Italian bars, cafés, and distilleries, opening readers' eyes to the rich history and vibrant culture of amaro today. Then, he returns to the United States, where contemporary mixologists are incorporating amari into a delicious and eclectic array of cocktails. Gorgeous location and cocktail photography; an impeccable package; and more than 100 recipes for DIY amaro, amaro cocktails, and amaro-spiked desserts will make this the must-have beverage book of the season.From the Hardcover edition.

The Canon Cocktail Book: Recipes from the Award-Winning Bar


Jamie Boudreau - 2016
    Named Best Bar in America by Esquire, Canon received Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards for World's Best Drinks Selection (2013) and World's Best Spirits Selection (2015), and Drinks International included it on their prestigious World's 50 Best Bars list. In his debut, legendary bartender and Canon founder Jamie Boudreau offers 100 cocktail recipes ranging from riffs on the classics, like the Cobbler’s Dream and Corpse Reviver, to their lineup of original house drinks, such as the Truffled Old Fashioned and the Banksy Sour. In addition to tips, recipes, and formulas for top-notch cocktails, syrups, and infusions, Boudreau breaks down the fundamentals and challenges of opening and running a bar—from business plans to menu creation. The Canon Cocktail Book is poised to be an essential drinks manual for both the at-home cocktail enthusiast and bar industry professional.

The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book


Frank Caiafa - 2016
    . . that will be used as a reference for the next 100 years and more." --Gary Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology Frank Caiafa—bar manager of the legendary Peacock Alley bar in the Waldorf Astoria—stirs in recipes, history, and how-to while serving up a heady mix of the world’s greatest cocktails. Learn to easily prepare pre-Prohibition classics such as the original Manhattan, or daiquiris just as Hemingway preferred them. Caiafa also introduces his own award-winning creations, including the Cole Porter, an enhanced whiskey sour named for the famous Waldorf resident. Each recipe features tips and variations along with notes on the drink’s history, so you can master the basics, then get adventurous—and impress fellow drinkers with fascinating cocktail trivia. The book  also provides advice on setting up your home bar and scaling up your favorite recipe for a party. Since it first opened in 1893, the Waldorf Astoria New York has been one of the world’s most iconic hotels, and Peacock Alley its most iconic bar. Whether you’re a novice who’s never adventured beyond a gin and tonic or an expert looking to expand your repertoire, The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book is the only cocktail guide you need on your shelf.

The Curious Bartender's Gin Palace


Tristan Stephenson - 2016
    The Curious Bartender’s Gin Palace is the follow-up to master mixologist Tristan Stephenson’s hugely successful books, 'The Curious Bartender' and 'The Curious Bartender: An Odyssey of Malt, Bourbon & Rye Whiskies'. Discover the extraordinary journey that gin has taken, from its origins in the Middle Ages as the herbal medicine ‘genever’ to gin’s commercialization and the dark days of the Gin Craze in mid 18th Century London, through to its partnership with tonic water—creating the most palatable and enjoyable anti-malarial medication – to the golden age that it is now experiencing. In the last few years, hundreds of distilleries and micro-distilleries are cropping up all over the world, producing superb craft products infused with remarkable new blends of botanicals. In this book, you’ll be at the cutting-edge of the most exciting developments, uncovering the alchemy of the gin production process and the science of flavour before taking a tour through the most exciting distilleries and gins the world has to offer. Finally, put Tristan’s mixology skills into practice with a dozen spectacular cocktails including a Purl, a Rickey, and a Fruit Cup.

The New Cocktail Hour: The Essential Guide to Hand-Crafted Drinks


André Darlington - 2016
    The New Cocktail Hour, a compendium of mixed drinks that have shaped eras, leads readers on a romp through wet bar classics, from pre-prohibition punches to the nouveau nogs that enhance a much-loved cocktail canon. The New Cocktail Hour makes the craft cocktail world accessible, offering essential tips on mixing balanced drinks, stocking a liquor cabinet, preparing your own syrups, shrubs, bitters, and more. There’s even a chapter of no-fail cocktail ratios to help you invent your own drinks.Authors André and Tenaya Darlington’s shared passion for serving well-made drinks stirs together history, new trends, and stylish entertaining techniques for cocktailing at home. Featuring more than 230 cocktail recipes with an emphasis on quality ingredients, tasting notes, food-pairings, and useful sidebars throughout, The New Cocktail Hour is an approachable, must-have guide to making great drinks.

Spritz: Italy's Most Iconic Aperitivo Cocktail, with Recipes


Talia Baiocchi - 2016
    But the spritz is more than just an early evening cocktail—it’s a style of drinking. In Spritz, Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau trace the drink’s origins to ancient Rome, uncover its unlikely history and culture, explore the evolution of aperitivo throughout Northern Italy, and document the spritz’s revival around the world. From regional classics to modern variations, Spritz includes dozens of recipes from some of America’s most lauded bartenders, a guide to building a spritz bar, and a collection of food recipes for classic Italian snacks to pair alongside.From the Hardcover edition.

The World's Easiest Cocktails: Equal Parts Recipes for Your Drinking Pleasure


Kara Newman - 2016
    

The Thinking Girl's Guide to Drinking: (Cocktails without Regrets)


Ariane Resnick - 2016
    Author Ariane Resnick wants to wipe away the notion that drinking healthfully has to mean downing glasses of green smoothies and juices and otherwise starving yourself. Sure, detox drinks have a time and a place, but there’s no need to suffer and live without the things you love. The key to drinking cocktails when you’re trying to be mindful is drinking in moderation and using wholefoods and high-quality ingredients that both taste delicious and have health value and nutritional benefits. Some of the healing ingredients include: —Lemons and limes: nutritional powerhouses of liver detoxification that lower the cholesterol and also happen to pair well with nearly any alcohol; —Kombucha: the sparkling probiotic beverage that provides good bacteria for your gut and comes in a million mixable flavors; —Fresh ginger: a powerful anti-inflammatory that is great for reducing nausea and lowering blood sugar; —Coconut cream: to help our brains and our metabolisms; —Herbs and spices: include antibacterial and antiviral properties and are high in B-vitamins; —Green juices: full of extra vitamins and nutrients; —Mint: known for its calming effects on the digestive and nervous systems and keeping tummies content; —Kava: a medically-proven anxiety-relieving root that’s known for its calming, relaxing, therapeutic effects, and other restorative properties. —And more!

The Complete Cocktail Manual: 285 Tips, Tricks, and Recipes


Lou Bustamante - 2016
     Everything you need is in here: Setup: Get the expert-tested and bartender-approved list of what you need to set up a pro bar at home, from basic supplies and glassware to fancy gear and the ultimate shopping list. Learn all about your favorite liquors—and some you haven’t even heard of—and educate yourself on every mixer, ice cube, and tool you might need. Recipes: From apertivos to citrus, spirit-forward to spicy, get the best recipes for every type of drink, from the classics to the most-Googled, in all their many forms. Learn what makes the difference between an antique old-fashioned and a modern one, get the twist right for your muddling, and know which tools to use for which cocktails. Hospitality: Whether you’re planning the menu a week in advance or hosting on the fly, get the scoop on entertaining with ease—from food pairings to setup, party punches to supply quantities. Learn how to hack your garnish and set a drink aflame—the right way—and get some tips for dealing with intoxicated guests and next-day hangovers. This book has everything you need to know to throw the ultimate cocktail bash. This is a must-read volume for any spirits fan, casual mixologist, or craft cocktail enthusiast.

Aperitivo: The Cocktail Culture of Italy


Marisa Huff - 2016
    Aperitivo takes the reader on a spirited ride through this cocktail culture, covering variations on all the classics including the Negroni, the Bellini, and the spritz and stopping at the chicest bars that have elevated this ritual to an art form. Many of the drinks are structured around vermouths and other botanical-infused liqueurs, which offer a new world of complex flavors. They yield enticingly simple cocktails that refresh—without stunning the palate (thanks to a lighter alcohol content). But Aperitivo is just as much about the food because in Italy, drinking and eating go hand in hand. Recipes feature fried sage leaves, oven-roasted eggplant, and carbonara tramezzini, as well as many delicious riffs on crostini, frittata, and focaccia. Whether planning a party or just having a friend over for a quick drink, Aperitivo brings a whole new spirit of conviviality and true Italian style to the occasion.