Cocktail Library

by ,

Mixology

                                   Cocktail Library

Quarantine has us all doing things that are out of the norm.   The first month I was home I painted my entire kitchen, organized every drawer and closet in the house, and even tried some landscaping.    As I settled into this “new normal”, my creative side started coming out, including playing piano, writing new cocktail recipes, and reading.  I have an extensive collection of cocktail books, and have begun the process of going back through all of them, cover to cover.   My first cocktail book was IMBIBE, gifted to me by a dear friend (thank you Marshall), right before my first trip to attend Tales of the Cocktail in 2009.   I walked into my first seminar and who was moderating but Doctor Wondrich himself!  I remember feeling so star struck and lightheaded as I approached him with the book, humbly asking if he would sign it.  He graciously agreed, and although now he is someone I consider a personal friend, I still cherish that signed copy so much.   Back in 2009 I was just a baby in regards to my place in this industry, and that was my very first experience meeting some of the biggest names still to this day.   Young bartenders and home enthusiasts alike often ask me what are the best cocktail books they can obtain to not only learn about history but learn recipes and techniques. There are so many! So, for this month I have decided to go off my usual path of writing articles about cocktail recipes and talk about some of my favorite books.  They have been instrumental in my career for a number of different reasons and I hope you all enjoy them as well. 

IMBIBE  (David Wondrich)- This is the most comprehensive book on the history of cocktails, including hundreds of recipes. This in my opinion is a MUST HAVE for all working bartenders as well as enthusiasts. 

PUNCH  (David Wondrich)- If you love the idea of making punch for parties/family gatherings, you must own this book !  It is also details the history of Punch, which dates back hundreds of years. 

BITTERS (Brad Thomas Parsons)- This book is ideal if you are curious about the origin of bitters, and how to use and make them. 

THE CRAFT OF THE COCKTAIL (Dale DeGroff)- Dale DeGroff, aka King Cocktail, is one of the foremost experts of all things mixology in the world.  This is a great book for learning not only classic recipes, but techniques.  

POTIONS OF THE CARIBBEAN (Jeff Berry)- I bought this book in Puerto Rico and I refer to it all the time.   It is a fantastic book if you love RUM and it is full of recipes and history. 

SMUGGLERS COVE (Martin Cate)- Another great book for the rum and tiki lover, with beautiful photos. 

THE JOY OF MIXOLOGY (Gary Regan)- Gary Regan, aka GAZ, was a dear friend and mentor of mine.  He was one of the most famous and well respected bartenders and authors and did a lot for the industry.  This book is iconic and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in mixology. 

Cris