Salvatore Calabrese - The Complete Home Bartenders Guide: Revised and Updated

The author would like to thank everyone who made this book possible. It was a mammoth task and a great team helped me put it together. Firstly, to my publishing duo, Lincoln Boehm and Charles Nurnberg, a great thank-you. To Lynn Bryan, thanks. Thanks also to Limelight Management. To the team of bartenders at The Library Bar: George, Fabrizio, Stevan, Matteo, Jack, Fiore, and Sophia: many thanks for being there. To all other bartenders (including Jerry Mignot, Dick Bradsell, and Dale deGroff) whose recipes I selected, thanks!

The BookMaker would like to thank Dartington, Riedel, and WaterfordWedgwood for their kindness in loaning glassware, as well as Christofle, Thomas Goode, and Harrods.

tools & equipment

glassware

bar essentials

bar terms

general advice

easy techniques

flavors & garnishes

party planning

tools & equipment

There are certain tools and equipment that help you make delicious cocktails. Most can be found in the bar section of department stores.

BAR KNIFE

A small, sharp knife used for slicing fruit.

BARSPOON

It has a small bowl at the end of a handle.

BLENDER

Use to combine spirits, juice, fruit, and ice.

BOTTLE OPENER

Choose the least-complicated opener that feels good in your hand and is strong.

CHAMPAGNE STOPPER

Useful for saving the bubbles in a bottle.

CHOPPING BOARD

Use to slice fruit for garnishes.

COCKTAIL STICKS

Use for spearing pieces of cherries and other fruit for garnishes.

CORKSCREW

Use to open wine bottles.

DECORATIVE COASTERS

Use if you have tabletops that mark easily.

DASH POURER

Use for drops and dashes of bitters and some liqueurs when floating them.

GRATER

Use to dust a drink with chocolate or nutmeg.

ICE BUCKET AND TONGS

Make sure the bucket is wide enough to hold lots of ice. Use the tongs!

ICE SCOOP

Use to add ice to a shaker or blender.

JUICER

Important for making fresh grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime juices.

MIXING GLASS

Used for mixing two or more ingredients with a barspoon.

MUDDLER

Use to mash sprigs of mint or berries into a pulp in the bottom of a mixing glass or an old-fashioned glass.

PONY-JIGGER

Use for correct measures to balance the flavors and strength of a cocktail.

SALT AND PEPPER GRINDERS

Use to add a spicy flavor in cocktails, such as Bloody Mary.

SHAKER

Use for mixing various spirits and juice together with ice.

STIRRERS

Stirrers can be made from glass or silver, with patterns and characters.

STRAWBERRY HULLER

Use to remove the stem and hull from a strawberry.

STRAWS

Use short straws for small glasses; for highballs and goblets, use two longer straws. Plain straws are best.

ZESTER

Use on lemon, orange, and lime peels to make garnishes.

1 Clockwise from top: Dash pourer, cloth for cleaning glasses, Angostura bitters, corkscrew and bottle opener, stirrers, and small grater

2 Left to right: Shaker, mixing glass with stirrer, two-piece silver shaker based on the Boston shaker, strainer, and pony-jigger

3 Clockwise from top: Juicer, lime squeezer, zester, and muddler

glassware

Fine, clear glasses with thin lips are best for showing off cocktails. Traditionally, each type of drink has a glass shape specifically for it. For instance, a long drink needs a highball; a Martini is served in a cocktail glass, and a Pia Colada loves a colada glass. A liqueur needs a small glass, as does a straight shot of a spirit.

When buying glasses, look for those with a design on the stemit adds a visual interest to the presentation.

Always handle a stemmed glass by the stem, not the bowl, to keep the cocktail chilled. And keep a clean cloth nearby to polish glasses.

MAIN GLASS TYPES AND SIZES

As you can see from the photograph, there are many glass styles. However, you need only a basic few. The cocktail glass is by far the most popular shape for almost any cocktail served without ice. A flute is essential for a champagne cocktail!

CHAMPAGNE FLUTE

A flute is sophisticated and is preferred over those shaped like a saucer. (This shape was modeled on Frances Empress Josephines breast. However, it makes the champagne go flat quicker.)

COCKTAIL

A regular cocktail glass is best for the recipes in this book. A double cocktail glass is occasionally called for.

GOBLET

This is the original large glass and is best for exotic cocktails with lots of color, a few juices, and a big garnish on the side.

HIGHBALL

Used for long drinks and ideally should be wide at the rim. (If its not, then you can catch your nose when you sip the drink!)

IRISH COFFEE

Designed to withstand the heat of coffee, it has a stem.

LIQUEUR

A small glass used for serving after-dinner digestifs.

OLD-FASHIONED

A short glass with a heavy base sits perfectly in the palm of your hand.

PORT

Designed for serving port or sherry.

PUNCH OR TODDY

Designed for holding hot drinks such as mulled wine; it usually has a handle.

SHOT

Designed for a measure of a strong spirit or spirits (pousse-caf-style) that are downed in one gulp.

WHITE AND RED WINE

Wine glasses are good for cocktails that include fruit juices and a fancy garnish. White glass sizes range from 4oz/12cl to 6oz/18cl; red glass sizes range from 6oz/18cl to 9oz/27cl.

bar essentials

SPIRITS

bourbon

brandy

gin

Pimms No. 1 Cup

vodka

white (silver) and gold tequila

whiskey

white and dark rum

sak

LIQUEURS

amaretto