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Sunday, January 6, 2013

Five Books about Bartending recommended by Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Hey, everyone! I know I posted up some advice and bartending videos, but you can never go wrong with a good list of books. Jeffrey Morgenthaler is an excellent bartender with a lot of great experience. His resume is rather extensive and he has an appreciation for no bullshit cocktails. I definitely have to give him major props.

He actually recommends 10 books about bartending but I'm doing this in the interest of time. However, all of these books have stood the test of time. A lot of these recipes you don't really even see anymore these days. These days the game is all about color and sweetness. It may look appealing to the eye, but the is not up to par because either it's too sweet or just way too strong that you cannot taste anything else. I feel like everything is so rushed and so fast paced sometimes that people don't even really take in the full love of their drink simply because they want to get drunk quick. They don't really pace themselves. By all means, get a buzz but take your time and enjoy what you paid for.

If you ever seen any of Morgenthaler's videos, you'll realize that this guy is very passionate and gets right to his point. You can check out his 10 recommended bartending books right here or just scroll down this post to see the 5 out of the 10 I recommend.

1.) Cosmopolitan: A Bartender's Life

Cosmopolitan is a memoir of the bartending life structured as a day in the life of Passerby, the bar owned and run by Toby Cecchini. It is, as well, a rich study of human nature—of the outlandish behavior of the human animal under the influence of alcohol, of lust, and of the sheer desire to bust loose and party. As the typical day progresses, Cecchini muses over a life spent in the service industry and the fascinating particulars of his chosen profession. He is by turns witty, acute, mordant, and lyrical in dealing with the realities of his profession, shedding plenty of light on the hidden corners of what people do when they go out at night.

2.) The Joy of Mixology


An original book on the craft of mixology is a rare gem. Gary Regan's The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan?s breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders?both professionals and amateurs alike?not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own.

3.)Kindred Spirits 2


F. Paul Pacult's Kindred Spirits 2 is the follow-up to the groundbreaking 1997 book of spirits reviews, Kindred Spirits. Ten years later, this indispensable, comprehensive compilation of 2,400+ detailed evaluations of whiskeys, brandies, vodkas, tequilas, rums, gins, and liqueurs sets the international gold standard for distilled spirits criticism.

4.)Vintage Cocktails and Spirits


The authentic vintage cocktail has made a comeback. However, this book does not repeat the timeworn cocktails of old, which you can find anywhere. Instead, historian, expert and drink aficionado Dr. Cocktail has hand-picked 80 drinks rarely made today, all of which deserve revival. Some are from the nineteenth century, some from the Prohibition era and some from just after World War II as the golden age of the cocktail was waning. All are retrieved from extremely uncommon sources. In fact, some of these recipes were found carefully penned into old cocktail manuals or on scraps of paper and may have never been published before. Vintage Cocktails and Spirits pays homage to the great bartender of the past and the beverages they created, lost in time, but still grand and full of potential. If you have half the fun looking at this book and trying these recipes as the author did putting them together, a great party is sure to ensue.


5.) The Savoy Cocktail Book


Synonymous with style, elegance, and sophistication, the Savoy is unsurprisingly also the birthplace of some of the most famous cocktails in the world. During the 1920s and 1930s, Prohibition-dodging Americans visiting London for tea-dances and cocktails made the bar at the Savoy their home. Here they were entertained by legendary American barman Harry Craddock, inventor of the White Lady and popularizer of the Dry Martini. Originally published in 1930, the Savoy Cocktail Book features 750 of Harry's most popular recipes. It is a fascinating record of the cocktails that set London alight at the time—and which are just as popular today. Taking you from Slings to Smashes, Fizzes to Flips, and featuring art deco illustrations, this book is the perfect gift for any budding mixologist or fan of 1930s-style decadence and sophistication.

Here is a great recipe of an Amaretto Sour done by none other than Jeffrey Morgenthaler:










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