The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks

I decided it was time to start finding some more things I'd like to drink other than the 3 things I order at every bar. So I checked a bunch of books on bar tending out of the library. This is by far my favorite so I bought a copy to keep. First, it has a lot of the classic drinks that you'd get at a bar and also lots of others and all the drinks I've made so far are really great. Second, the photos are super - I pick half the drinks just by their looks alone. Third, the stories with each drink just add another layer of fun. I didn't expect to learn anything about the history of cocktails in America, but I have and it's been really fun.

When it comes to cocktails, Dale DeGroff is the expert. His book, Craft of the Cocktail, is a classic. But we like Essential Cocktail as well. You just can't have too many of his books. When you flip through, different things catch your eye. It also seems to get into a little more technique, and we like the appendix section with the different barware and garnishes. It's our go-to book before weekend house guests show up, and we never run out of inspiration for the perfect weekend drink.

I was surprised how much I liked this book, especially since I am not any more interested in bartending mixology than the average reader. It is very well layed out with beautiful photos. An earlier reviewer is indeed right that it only covers a "limited" amount, but this is still a large number, and hits on all of the famous ones. Also, the author seems to have a very good historical memory of drinks -- it's not just popular drinks of the last 20 years. The book has sections for Classics, Martinis, Sours, Highballs, etc... In addition to the nice photos, on many pages it has an "Ingredient Note" that explains an ingredient and gives its history. It also has a section at the end on garnishes and bartending equipment. I think it was very well done.

Proofread! Please! While this book isn't as riddled with misprints as Mr. DeGroff's first book, there are still mistakes aplenty. No excuse. The book is beautiful and arguably better laid out than Craft of the Cocktail which is also essential. And, of course, Dale DeGroff is as close as you can get to a cocktail oracle. But, for Chrissake, proofread it! Next time, just drop me an email, and I'll do it for free. It would be an honor. Oh, and throw some o.j. into that Ward Eight.

Beautifully done in both material and layout,this is bound to be a must have classic tome on mixology.While it covers only about 500 recipes,it covers 500 worthwhile or essential(hence the title)cocktails, all well worthy of inclusion in a cocktail reference book - not just a compendium of every drink ever concocted (for better or worse). Almost every drink is given a short but interesting history/intro, then ingredients, directions, and photographs of the finished drink. Larger format (quarto or about 10 1/2" Tall and 8" wide)with a rarely seen (in drinks books past or present) decent binding so it stays open nicely with tasteful graphics,easy to read type fonts,and even a nicely retro cover (under the more modern dust jacket),it combines the practical and the high art both in its content and production. A lot of thought must have gone into not only the contents of the books but also the practical aspects of it.Built not only to please the eye and palette it works well on a counter,(or better yet behind one of those clear plastic book holders),laying flat, easy to read/consult,easy to wipe pages,and logically organized with a fine array of carefully chosen drinks. While not as exhaustive as Dales other classicThe Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Make 500 of the World's Best Drinks and Host Legendary Parties It is a precis on how to do the included cocktails properly and artfully.