Spruce - Classic Cocktail Bible

An Hachette UK Company
www.hachette.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by
Spruce, a division of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd
Endeavour House
189 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8JY
www.octopusbooks.co.uk
www.octopusbooks.usa.com

Copyright Octopus Publishing Group Ltd 2012

The recipes in this book were previously published in either The Cocktail Bible or Cocktail, both published by Hamlyn.

Distributed in the US by
Hachette Book Group USA
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New York NY 10017 USA

Distributed in Canada by
Canadian Manda Group
165 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3H6

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-1-846-01413-0

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The measure that has been used in the recipes is based on a bar jigger, which is 25 ml (1 fl oz). If preferred, a different volume can be used providing the proportions are kept constant within a drink and suitable adjustments are made to spoon measurements, where they occur.

Standard level spoon measurement are used in all recipes.
1 tablespoon = one 15 ml spoon
1 teaspoon = one 5 ml spoon

The Department of Health advises that eggs should not be consumed raw. This book contains recipes made with raw eggs. It is prudent for more vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, invalids and the elderly to avoid these recipes.

Who doesnt feel gorgeous and glamorous when they have an expertly mixed Martini in their hand? From the decadent 1920s, when bartenders took the sting out of Prohibition liquor by mixing it with more palatable flavours, to the over-indulgence of the 1980s and the cool cocktail chic of the noughties, cocktails have long had a part to play in party-peoples social lives. With their exotic names, their indulgent ingredients and the care and attention required to create them, its no surprise that these drinks have remained exclusive and exciting, and are constantly evolving.

Cocktails should taste every bit as good as they look, which is why bartenders spend years perfecting the art of the perfect blend of ingredients. Tiny tweaks to measurements can make all the difference, and a good cocktail is the result of careful measuring and mixing of very specific ingredients. So dont be tempted to simply empty all those leftover bottles of holiday booze into pretty glasses cocktail making requires skill and precision, a basic knowledge of spirits and mixers, and a lightness of touch.

The wonderful thing about cocktails is that classic recipes like the Martini, Zombie and Old-fashioned are as popular today as when they were first sipped in the lounge bars of fancy hotels around the world. These drinks have achieved cult status, but theyre not too high and mighty to keep the newcomers banished from our bar menus. Mixologists are constantly creating new concoctions and the infinite combination of spirits, mixers, juices, syrups and decorations means that the only limit to the range of cocktails in a bar is the imagination of the bartender. But you dont need to flash your cash in a fancy joint to enjoy the glitz of a cocktail evening: you can create your own drinks at home. With a bit of forward planning, some essential equipment and a few choice recipes up your sleeve, you can become a mixologist for the night, and shake and stir to your hearts content.

BAY BREEZE

This is a variation of the classic Sea Breeze. Here, pineapple juice is used to add a touch of sweetness that contrasts with the piquant flavour of cranberries.

• ice cubes
• 4 measures cranberry juice
• 2 measures vodka
• 2 measures pineapple juice
• lime wedges, to decorate

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and pour over the cranberry juice. Pour the vodka and pineapple juice into a chilled cocktail shaker, shake well and gently pour over the cranberry juice and ice in the glass. Decorate with lime wedges and serve with long straws.

LE MANS

• 23 ice cubes, cracked
• 1 measure Cointreau
• measure vodka
• soda water, to top up
• lemon wedge, to decorate

Put the cracked ice into a highball glass. Pour over the Cointreau and vodka, stir and top up with soda water. Float a lemon wedge on top of the drink and serve.

SCREWDRIVER

A popular drink that is a simple but delicious combination of vodka and orange juice. As the ingredients are minimal, its important to use freshly squeezed juice.

• 23 ice cubes
• 1 measures vodka
• fresh orange juice, to top up

Put the ice cubes into a highball glass. Pour over the vodka, top up with orange juice and stir lightly, then serve.

SEA BREEZE

• ice cubes
• 2 measures vodka
• 4 measures cranberry juice
• 2 measures fresh pink grapefruit juice
• 2 lime wedges

Put some ice cubes into a highball or hurricane glass. Pour over the vodka and fruit juices. Squeeze the lime wedges into the drink and stir lightly before serving.

HARVEY WALLBANGER

This was named after a Californian surfer in the 1960s, who drank so many of this cocktail that he banged and bounced off the bar walls on his way out.

• 6 ice cubes
• 1 measure vodka
• 3 measures fresh orange juice
• 12 teaspoons Galliano
• orange wheels, to decorate

Put half the ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and the remainder into a highball glass. Add the vodka and orange juice to the shaker and shake until a frost forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain over the ice in the glass. Float the Galliano on top (see ). Decorate with orange wheels and serve with straws.