I will be posting at least one more gift guide, but wanted to start off with five great books specifically dealing with cocktails. There’s a bit of everything here and if you have particular questions about any of them, feel free to write in the comments. I can honestly say that I have read all of them, so these recommendations come directly from my own experience and enjoyment, not someone else’s.
1. Boozehound – In Boozehound, Jason Wilson poses the question; “Does the world need another flavoured Vodka”. He quickly answers with a resolute NO! Jason goes on to explore interesting and flavourful sprits around the world including Chartreuse, Rum and Italian Amari to name a few. Wilson includes cocktail recipes for you to create and enjoy along the way. He does this all in an entertaining yet clear and knowledgable way. Available on Amazon.
You can also Follow Jason on Twitter @BoozeColumnist
2. Imbibe! – David Wondrich is the founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail and a phenomenal historian. Imbibe! is a historical nod to “Professor” Jerry Thomas, author of the first published manual for mixed drinks. Wondrich chronicles the history of bar tending tools, methods, and of course, cocktails too. Wondrich includes 100 recipes in the book with appropriately in depth reviews of where these drinks come from and how they each evolved over time. Available on Amazon.
You can also follow David Wondrich on Twitter @Drunkistan
3. Around the world with Jigger, Beaker & Flask – This 1946 Book written by Charles Barker is the second volume in a set of two. The first volume being “Around the world with Knife, Fork and Spoon.” Because the book was written so long ago, it makes for quite entertaining reading, not only because of the use of language, but also because of the innuendoes and choice of metaphors. It’s a great book of exploration by a talented writer and if you can find one of the rare leather bound copies, you’re in luck! Alternatively, the book was reprinted in 2001 with the title replacing the word “Flask” with “Glass.” To find the original, you’ll have to do some searching. I found mine at www.AbeBooks.com
4. Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails – Written by Ted Haigh (aka. Dr. Cocktail), this is a cocktail book that covers all those cocktails you’ve probably never heard of. The book is beautifully adorned with historical images and anecdotes with brilliantly written histories behind each of the 100 cocktail recipes included. Available on Amazon.
5. Home Bar Basics: Home Bar Basics is not only a great little (aka, pocket sized) book, but it has a great story behind it too. Dave Stolte started out by posting a short video on Kickstarter and as it turned out he wasn’t the only one who enjoyed great drinks. I’m honoured to be one of the funders of the project and especially so upon receiving my copy. The book focuses on history, quality and craft and you can just feel Stolte’s passion coming through in the words and of course the imagery. Illustrations are by Dave Stolte himself. I’ve read tons of cocktail related books now and unfortunately many of them, specifically the foundation level books, contain bad advice and terrible renditions of what should be relatively absolute recipes. If you’re looking for a great book to get you started down the right track that also happens to contain a few less classic and “not so basic” cocktails, look no further. The book is available at www.homebarbasics.com
You can also follow David on twitter @HomeBarBasics
I hope you this helps everyone with their search for excellent guides and stories in the world of cocktails. As mentioned, please feel free to ask any questions in the comments, or provide any feedback if you have read the books yourselves.
