The Spirit World

The other night, I was at a dinner party where there were several of the city’s best bartenders were in attendance. Conversations where going on full steam amongst the various tables, when suddenly I hear my name from the far end of the table.
“If you could have only one cocktail book, what would it be!”, […]

So mixed drinks have made a comeback and you are thinking “what am I to do with all my brandy, vodka, absinthe, etc. that I have been enjoying neat (without ice, by it’s onesies)? Well, sure you could buck the trend and keep on with being a neat-freak, or you could experiment with ingredients that […]

It would be difficult to pay attention to bartending and mixology, without running across the name “Cheryl Charming.” Her first book, published in 2000, was “Miss Charmings Book of Bar Amusements,” and was a collection of the various magic tricks, amusements, and challenges that some bartenders use to entertain their customers, and some customers use […]

In the minds of many — even (or perhaps especially) people who do not regularly imbibe — the Martini holds a special place. It seems to serve as the pole star of the cocktail firmament. As the iconic cocktail, it has been discussed and depicted more than any other: in film, in New Yorker cartoons, […]

I recently attended the Gourmet Institute in New York.  It was a whirlwind weekend of classes and eating and more classes and more eating!  One of the sessions that I chose, that I thought would be one of my favorites, was called Celebrating the Season with Cocktails and taught by Nick Mautone.  Nick has been […]

The art of the true mixologist doesn’t stop at the glass. Cocktails are a cuisine, and as such can, and should, participate with the other culinary arts as much as possible. One of the books that I have often recommended to various mixologists across the country has been “Culinary Artistry“ by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page. […]

This little book, Kitschy Cocktails, while small in size holds a whole lot of fun! The name gives you a hint of what’s to come but the subtitle, “Luscious Libations for the Swinger Set”, really gives you an idea of the author’s sense of whimsy.
As you might guess the cocktail recipes are […]

We haven’t looked at any fun mixology books in some time so before the summer leaves us I wanted to tell you about a fun book devoted to Tiki Culture.
The Great Tiki Drink Book, by Jennifer Trainer Thompson, provides a look at tiki culture as well as numerous recipes.
The first chapter […]

I mentioned this little book, Sangria: Fun and Festive Recipes, in this last week’s Happy Hour at Home post.
It is such a great book, I wanted to share a bit more about it with you. First, sangria is a perfect party beverage. It generally is best if made ahead of […]