Darlington - The New Cocktail Hour

2016 by Andr Darlington and Tenaya Darlington Photography 2016 by Jason Varney Published by Running Press, A Member of the Perseus Books Group All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions Printed in China This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher. Books published by Running Press are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail . Library of Congress Control Number: 2015958577 E-book ISBN 978-0-7624-5727-4 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Digit on the right indicates the number of this printing Designed by Joshua McDonnell Edited by Cindy De La Hoz Drink Stylist: Keith Raimondi Prop Stylist: Kristi Hunter Typography: Brandon and Plantagenet Cherokee Hand-drawn Cover Type: Rachel Peckman Running Press Book Publishers 2300 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371 Visit us on the web! www.offthemenublog.com Table of Contents CONTENTS The American cocktail is nothing if not forward-looking and optimistic. William Grimes, Straight Up or On the Rocks Were not bartenders... were lushes.

We are siblings and journalists who have covered the food and drink beat for over a decade. (You could say were drinkers with writing habits.) In that time, weve also become serious home enthusiasts. We became enamored of mixing drinks in our early twenties, at the onset of the craft cocktail boom. As brother and sister, we often celebrated milestones by inventing special drinks for one another in our apartment kitchensthe Demoted Freelancer, the First Gray Hairand eventually we traveled around the country in search of transportive sips at new cocktail meccas. Our wild passion, combined with our journalistic inclination to take notes and do research, has resulted in the book you now hold in your hands. What you have before you is a compendium of exquisite drinks from the last two hundred years, with flavor notes, food pairings, and historical context.

We dont know of any other cocktail resource that has been curated in quite the same way. Most books present cocktails in alphabetical order or group them by spirit, making it impossible to grasp how drinks have evolved. When we began organizing recipes by era, fascinating flavor patterns emerged. For example, we saw how sweetness exploded after Prohibition and how bitterness could be traced to early medicinal elixirsa taste that faded, only to become beloved again today. We also love to cook, and as we delved into cocktails we naturally began to play with food pairings. We took a shine to fixing citrus drinks alongside oysters, thanks to cocktails like the (page 171)which was invented at a British oyster barand we discovered how well tiki drinks riff off spices in Thai and Indian cuisines.

Throughout these pages, we offer our flavor notes and pairing suggestions so that you can experiment, too. The craft cocktail movement has restored the cocktail as an American rite. Todays challenge is to incorporate its lessons and recipes into daily use at home. There has never been a better time to do so. The explosion of small-batch tonics, artisan bitters, craft spirits, and resurrected liqueurs means that home mixology is more exciting than ever. Our goal is to make it accessible.

What we pass on to you are the things that we have discovered to be essentialabout mixing balanced drinks, about stocking a liquor cabinet, about preparing your own syrups and shrubs. We also chose drink recipes that reflect a contemporary sensibility, emphasizing seasonality and unrefined sweeteners. Whether youre a cocktail-scene veteran or a thirsty newcomer, we hope that this collectionlike a good cookbookbecomes your household cocktail guide. Dog-ear the pages, spill rum on the spine, and scribble notes in the margins. Its time to take matters into your own shaker. If youre hunting for a specific drink by name or looking for drinks by base spirit, flip to the index in the back.

If youre wondering which bottles to buy at the store, we offer recommendations for each recipe along with flavor notes in our (page 271). Here are a few things that separate this book from the colossal list of great literature on the subject of mixed drinks: Tasting Notes Every drink in this book includes flavor descriptionssomething we yearned for as we combed through recipes over the years, licking our lips but also scratching our heads as we tried to imagine how an unknown drink might taste. If you love citrusy cocktails or herbaceous drinks, you can easily find them by scanning the tasting notes for each recipe. Pairing Ideas We suggest food for each cocktail so that you have some idea which drinks pair well with, say, sushi, barbecue, pasta, spicy foods, or dessert. We also provide some general pairing guidelines in (page 18). Chronological and Occasional Organization Part Two of this book is organized by era so you can experience the evolution of the American cocktail.

Note that weve taken the liberty of placing some drinks in the time period in which they became widespread, not necessarily when they were created. Part Three is organized by seasons and special occasions, so you can quickly find a brunch drink or a dessert cocktail. This section also includes a chapter on tiki drinks, along with a final chapter on no-proof cocktails, for designated drivers and non-drinkers. Curated Drink Lists Flip through this book and youll find conveniently curated lists in each chapter to help you find the right drinks for exploring and entertaining.

In the back, youll find recipes for syrups, shrubs, and more (Part Four), along with techniques for making impeccable drinks and garnishes (Parts Five and Six), followed by a glossary of the booze we like to use (Part Seven). So what is a craft cocktail exactly? Its a mixed drink in which all of the elementsfrom spirits to mixers and garnisheshave been selected with care to create visual appeal, seductive aroma, balanced taste, depth of flavor, appropriate mouthfeel, and above all, some pizzazz. So what is a craft cocktail exactly? Its a mixed drink in which all of the elementsfrom spirits to mixers and garnisheshave been selected with care to create visual appeal, seductive aroma, balanced taste, depth of flavor, appropriate mouthfeel, and above all, some pizzazz.

The great ones even have a good story. Like a bespoke suit or a handmade bag, the final product transcends the ordinary. It sings. It embodies inspiration, quality, and skill. Does this mean you need to begin an in-home ice program and invest in a sous vide appliance? No. With a little creativity and a few tips, you can craft fine drinks at home without a lot of fuss or special equipment.