Kathy Casey - Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers

I would like to dedicate this book to John Casey, my love, my husband, my personal supporter, and my chief taste-tester. Thank you for our delicious life together.

In creating a new dish or drink, its not just one thing that makes it great but a culmination of ideas and flavors. Likewise, it takes the tribulations, trials, and lots of tastings by many talented people to produce a book. To begin, I would like to thank my longtime associate and dear friend, Ann Manly, for her patient and spot-on editing expertise and for always keeping my voice so clear, and executive sous-chef Matthew Noesen and associate Mary-Elizabeth Crowe for their testing assistance and tasting talents. Thanks, also, to John, Trixie, Alex, and Dave for being willing tasters. Also much thanks goes to Chronicle Books: to my editor, Bill LeBlond, for believing in this book and for his creative insights; to editor Amy Treadwell for her guidance and support; and to the rest of the Chronicle folks for their enthusiasm and commitment.

I am deeply grateful as well to the dedicated team that brought the pages of this book to life: to photographer Angie Norwood Browne for her beautiful and stunning photography; to Charlotte Omns and Patty Wittmann for their creative and skillful food styling; and to designer Gretchen Scoble for her artful eye and gift for bringing together the work and talents of everyone so beautifully and stylishly.

Great thanks also goes to the many spirit companies that I work with every day and particularly to Absolut and Beam Global, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, and Crown Imports for supporting my work on this book.

I also want to thank the bartenders and mixologists who are making it happen every day as well as the many dedicated cocktail enthusiasts. They have all helped to bring the craft of the cocktail back to the prominence it so deserves.

As a chef, I am always trying new thingsand not only in the kitchen. My mantra has long been, A great drink is just as important as a great dish. Bringing culinary ingredients and a fresh-and-seasonal philosophy into the bar has helped to make that a reality. I may very well be the first Bar Chef!

Inventing signature cocktailswhether for a cruise line, luxury hotel, chefs bistro, or spirit brandis a big part of my business. Its what I have been doing for many years now, so its exciting to see how the creative cocktails trend has taken off. Making drinks is really liquid cooking, where the bar is a Liquid Kitchen. A well-crafted cocktail has as much thought put into it and requires the same balancing of flavorsin this case liquor and modifiersas a dish from the kitchen. And not only are innovative cocktails being shaken up, but the old and overlooked classics have made a grand comeback as well.

Of course people want to re-create the beverages theyve enjoyed in bars and restaurants and share them with friends at home. And whats an extraordinary drink without a fantastic nibble to go with it? How often do you go out to eat or to a party and the entire meal is appetizers and cocktails? Its often the way we eat, sip, and entertain today. Every sip needs a dlish app!

My philosophy in entertaining is simple: dont overdo it. Pick one or two signature cocktails for your get-together, select a few appetizersbeing sure to have a good variety of hot and coldand make as much in advance as you can.

So, whether youre throwing a big cocktail party or inviting a few neighbors over, I hope that these recipes will bring you years of enjoyment and become your new favorite sips and apps.

P.S. Enjoy yourself but always remember to drink responsibly.