Vanessa Dina - The Art of the Bar Cart: Styling & Recipes

Text copyright 2017 by Chronicle Books LLC.
Photographs copyright 2017 by Antonis Achilleos.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 9781452159140 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Dina, Vanessa, author. | Conway, Ashley Rose, writer of supplementary
textual content.
Title: The art of the bar cart / Vanessa Dina ; text by Ashley Rose Conway ; photographs by Antonis Achilleos.
Description: San Francisco : Chronicle Books, [2017]
Identifiers: LCCN 2016051294 | ISBN 9781452158952 (hc : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Bars (Furniture) | Handcarts. | Cocktails.
Classification: LCC TT197.5.B3 D57 2017 | DDC 684.1dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016051294

Design by VANESSA DINA
Prop styling by ED GALLAGHER
Text by ASHLEY ROSE CONWAY

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Bar carts are key decor pieces, whether you entertain often or just like a quiet drink at the end of a long day. There are as many ways to incorporate them into your home as there are spaces to put them. And its not just about the cocktails; a bar cart is a statement piece as well as a functional one. A well-styled bar cart can pull together a room while providing a place to display your favorite spirits, bar tools, and glassware for making drinks. Whether roving or stationary, petite or sizable, there is a cart for everyone. Thats where this book comes in.

Each cart focuses on one spirit or theme, or on creating a bar set-up in a small or unusual space. You can pick one that fits your lifestyle or mix and match to make a unique cart that is just for you. There are carts for beer and wine lovers, as well as single-liquor carts that will show you how to make the most of your favorite bottle. If youre looking to throw a party, there are carts for that. And even if you think there isnt space in your home for one more stick of furniture, the Tray Cart make it easy to incorporate a home bar into the space you already have. With each cart youll find a cocktail recipe and variations that match the theme and require only a few liquors and liqueurs, making it easier and more wallet friendly to make drinks at home. And a lot of those bottles are used repeatedly throughout the book, so you can try cocktails from other carts without having to invest in a whole new set of ingredients. For easy serving, remember that every recipe yields one drink unless otherwise noted.

When it comes to bar carts, the only rule is to make sure it works for your space. The ideas in this book are simply suggestionsjumping off points for styling and enjoying your home bar cart. Draw inspiration from the different styles and spirits you find, discover new favorite cocktail recipes, and then make them your own!

Below are some guidelines and fundamentals for making a proper cocktail. Whole books have been written on how to mix up the best drink. If you are interested in perfecting your cocktail skills, keep exploring. Its easy to customize your choices once you have an idea of which cocktails you prefer to mix up on a regular basis.

A quick note on quality: great cocktails start with great ingredients. Always use the highest quality spirits, mixers, and produce you can afford. I mix with organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible, focusing on what is in season for the best flavors. While I may want strawberries in January, I wait until early summer, when local strawberries are ripe. When you can, use fresh juices in drinks. It involves a little more work than opening a bottle, but your tipple will be far tastier. This is particularly important for citrus juice, which loses its brightness within a day of being juiced.

Tools do not make the man or woman, or bartender, but they sure do help in crafting a delicious drink. These are the must-have tools for the home bartender to keep on the bar cart:

bar spoon

bottle opener

citrus peeler

cocktail shaker

ice molds in varying sizes

jigger for measuring liquids

mixing glass

strainers: Hawthorne for shaken cocktails, julep for stirred drinks, and fine-mesh or tea for double straining

If you are looking to expand your tool selection, here are a few more tools I like to keep on hand:

blender

canvas Lewis bag and wooden mallet for crushing ice

channel knife and zester combined

muddler

picks for garnishes

reusable metal straws

swizzle sticks

Ice is a key player in cocktails. They would not be as tasty or inviting without the chill that ice provides, whether its large, small, hand cut, crystal clear, cubed, or crushed. In addition, shaking or stirring with ice adds a bit of water to a drink, which improves the flavor of many cocktails.

If you enjoy serving cocktails with crushed ice, consider investing in a Lewis bag and mallet, and crush it by hand. A Lewis bag is made of triple-stitched canvas, so youre unlikely to pop a seam with enthusiastic smashing, and the bag will absorb any water from ice melt. Crushing ice by hand ensures that you get the size youre looking for.

Speaking of size, there are many types of ice molds on the market, and they come in various dimensions. Silicone ice trays make it easier to remove the ice without cracking it, like plastic versions do. If you like drinks on the rocks, jumbo, slow-melting spheres and cubes will keep your spirit from becoming watery; try 2-in [5-cm] ones. But if you prefer to use a collins glass, or other tall, thin glassware, smaller ice cubes may be a better option. A fan of refreshing tropical drinks? Small pebble ice trays are perfect; unlike crushed ice, they wont dilute the drink too much.

There is a time and place for everything, including when to stir and when to shake your cocktail. Shaking is the most commonly used method for libations containing more than liquor. It dilutes while adding air and thus texture to the drink. On the other hand, stirring adds minimal water and air, keeping the texture of the drink smooth. Spirit-heavy drinks, like a martini, are better stirred, not shaken, no matter what you may have heard.