The Book of Cocktails

Seven years ago my husband Dub and I sailed into Whangarai Harbour in New Zealand. On our way in I spied some friends or ours, Gayle and John, who we'd met in Tahiti. They were Kiwis and they were ending their five year circumnavigation, home at last. We anchored close to their boat and later dinghied over for sundowners (usually Coke and Rum). That evening, as usual, we told tall tales of our adventures at sea and we congratulated ourselves on being in this wonderful place at this wonderful time. Later, as we were saying our goodbyes, Gayle gave me her set of the Salamandar Book of Series Cookbooks. They are sold by HP Books in the States as paperbacks. Gayle carried these books around the planet and now she was giving them to me, complete with her notes (written in the books) on the recipes, how well she and John liked certain dishes, which were their favorites, how hard they were to prepare. She knew I was a cook and she thought I'd appreciate them. She was right. Like all the books in the series "The Book of Cocktails" is about five inches wide and about a foot tall, making them kind of unique among cookbooks. But one should not be put off because of the odd shape, these are real books and you can find mighty darned good recipes in them like in this book, although it's not really a cookbook. However, if you wanna know how to make aa different or an unusual drink, you should check this book out. Before we got these books from John and Gayle we generally drank Coke and Rum when that Lucky Old Sun faded from view, but now, on occasion, we'll do something like a Daiquiri or even a Blue Hawaiian, both nice rum drinks we never would have had on the boat had it not been for this book. It's true, as sailors, we generally stick to rum drinks at sea, but we live on the land half the year and there are plenty of drinks for landlubbers here too. This is a book every hostess out to have, because you'll really spice up your parties when you start them out with something a little different. Just don't drink too much and make sure all your guests can get safely home, whether they are leaving in a car or a little rubber boat. Review Submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

In its roughly 50 parts, all written by experienced cooks and cook book writers, HP Books' "The Book of ... Cooking" series takes you to the cuisines of various regions of the U.S. and around the world; all in easy to follow, well-explained recipes. This installment, the Book of Cocktails, starts with a brief introduction into the basics of mixing cocktails, the contents of a well-assorted liquor cabinet, and the necessary equipment and glasses, followed by an assortment of garnishes, frostings, toppings and accompaniments and an overview of the main uses of ice in a cocktail. It then presents suggestions for all major types of cocktails, from gin based drinks to non-alcoholic and other mixed drinks. Special chapters are dedicated to whiskey, vodka, rum, brandy, wine and champagne based drinks. Classics such as Bloody Mary, Bourbon Mint Julep, champagne cocktail, Cuba Libre (or more politically correct, "Rum and Coke"), Daiquiris, Egg Nogg, John (or Tom) Collins, Kir Royale, Mai Tai, dry and sweet Manhattan and Martini, Margarita, Pina Colada, Planter's Punch, Rob Roy, Sangria, Screwdriver, Shirley Temple, Singapore Sling, Tequila Sunrise, Tia Maria and Whiskey Sour appear next to unique cocktails such as "Boo Boo's Special" (angostura bitter and tropical fruit juices), "Gold Passion" (passionfruit and white rum spirit, vodka, and pineapple juice), "Moscow Mule" (vodka, lemon juice and ginger beer), "Ruby Shy" (coconut and white rum spirit, blackcurrant cordial and lemonade), and "Strawberry Dawn" (gin, coconut cream and strawberries). The book ends with a brief glossary of the most frequent cocktail ingredients. From almond liqueur to Yoghurt Fizz and Zombie, this collection of recipes, while not all-encompassing (conspicuously absent is last year's party king, the Cosmo), is a great introduction to the endless possibilities of mixing drinks, both with and without alcohol. Also recommended: Around the World Cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant (Cookery) Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (4th Edition) Textbook only Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006

This book offers A to Z recipes on a host of our favorite drinks as well as the exotic. It also offers tips on stocking the home bar, tools of the trade, possible appetizers and recommendations on glassware. Each recipe included a photograph. I truly enjoyed this book.