Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining

I am drinking the Frozen Raspberry Daiquiri from the book as I type this (hic!), and it is delicious. I found this book at the library and am sick of checking it out, so now I am buying it. Every book in my kitchen has earned its place there (I have a very small kitchen), and this book will be no exception. The Summer Buck and the Watermelon Cooler are next...

I am a bartender at a high volume, outdoor bar in Key West Fl. Our bar is set up for maximum speed...and unfortunately many times that means that the final product is not something that I am entirely happy with...but it works fine for what we are doing. The recipes in this book are the kinds of drinks I would prepare on a day off, for friends from my own private bar at home. Drinks you can be proud to serve. Drinks that have been tweaked by a "master mixoligist"...and Nick Mautone is definitely a master of his craft. I collect cocktail books, and rarely will I purchase a new release and be pleased with it. This book however is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I find myself referencing it more and more frequently. My only complaint is that the Mr. Mautone varies the servings for each recipe...which is really no big deal as they can easily be increased or decreased depending on your desired need. I am just used to reading a recipe and it yielding 1 drink. Filled with gorgeous color photos, the book is great as a coffee table book as well.

Raising The Bar: Better Drinks Better Entertaining is far more than just another a cocktail book. Though it features 250 recipes and full-color photographs, Raising The Bar goes a step further and offers the tested secrets of a professional restaurant manager to serving cocktails for a crowd, planning a head, perfecting techniques for mixing a drink, tips, tricks, techniques, and more. Tasty original recipes include Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita, Strawberry Kiwi Sangria, and Watermelon Lemonade. A must-have for anyone seeking not only to hone their drink-mixing skills, but also improve their presentation, and flair to professional food service levels.

In "Raising the Bar", Nick Mautone brings a new fresh perspective to entertaining. Being an avid reader of his column in Cargo magazine, I was intrigued to learn that he had written a book on cocktails and entertaining. Mr. Mautone's approach to basic concepts about drink making deconstructed my original thinking and recompiled it into a completely limitless wealth of possibilities. A great example is after reading the recipe for the "Basil Martini", I will never look at a Bloody Mary the same way again. Though many other writers have published different ideas in food magazines, they always seem to be awkward and complicated. In contrast Mr. Mautone's easy and savory recipes and ideas leave me scratching my head and wondering "Why didn't I ever think of that?". Having had the opportunity to play with the drink recipes and pairing them with the food ideas "Raising the Bar" has surpassed any and all expectations I would have in an entertaining book.

Fabulous book! Great recipes for standard and unusual cocktails. The attractive photographs really entice you to try making the drinks. The text is interesting, well-organized, personal, and informative. This would make a wonderful gift or hostess present.