Of all the skills you might acquire in life, the ability to make a good cocktail is never going to be a waste of your time. No lover will complain when you present them with a well-iced Negroni as they walk through your door; no house-guest will complain at the suggestion of a round of Gin Sours. ` To cocktail` was coined as a verb by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1928. This amateur guide to cocktailing embodies Fitzgerald`s Golden Age spirit while giving it a thoroughly modern makeover. But forget shelling out GBP8.50 at faux-speakeasies & hyper-modern molecular establishments
- the place to cocktail is at home. Expressly structured for the amateur, the first chapter of this book shows how just six bottles are needed for 25 classic cocktails. From this simple start the book brings a wealth of cocktail recipes & knowledge, all the while reminding you of the pleasures of cocktailing chez vous. From a Pean to the Spritz & a rehabilitation of the Bronx, through cocktail history & cocktailonomics, to go-to lists like ` The Top 5 Girly Drinks`, The Spirits is a perfect mix. Informative recipes blended with whimsy & anecdote are given a dash of fun, & finished with a twist of brilliantly wry humour.