Need help on muddling? Are you using the right ice to get the perfect chill factor? Wondering what essential tools you need to make a classic cocktail? Or umbrella drinks for that matter?
Portland, Ore., bartender and cocktail blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler (jeffreymorgenthaler.com) has written The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique (Chronicle Books, $30) with Martha Holmberg. He’s an exacting bartender with a creative flair for local and seasonal ingredients. (His blog even includes a post on the most comfy shoes for bartenders, who are on their feet a lot.)
The Bar Book is different from other guides in that it’s heavy on technique. Any good mixologist will tell you that putting together a fabulous drink requires some skill. Just like baking, the layering of ingredients is essential.
The book includes more than 60 recipes with plenty of photos illustrating techniques for juicing, garnishing, shaking and stirring.
— Janet K. Keeler
Tampa Bay Times