A MAN'S PLACE IS BEHIND THE BAR
Killer Cocktail Recipes
Written by Tucker Shaw
As anyone with a palate will attest, a cocktail made with care is elevated to a culinary art. That’s the motive behind Tucker Shaw’s latest book, A Man’s Place is Behind the Bar: Killer Cocktail Recipes. While some men may bemoan “gussied-up concoctions,” a well-mixed drink can often enhance liquor better than drinking it straight. And as Shaw explains, a “killer cocktail” is extremely simple to make—so long as you start with the right tools and ingredients.
The beginning of the book explains bar basics, covering everything from types of glassware to essential mixers to necessary bar tools. As expected, the book contains a liquor cabinet checklist. Stock up, and you’ll never be thirsty. The rest of the chapters are divided into cocktails based on the type of liquor: gin, vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy and beer and wine.
Surprisingly, the book offers a good mix of classic cocktails as well as concoctions that may otherwise be deemed “girly” drinks—daiquiris and martinis share pages with piña coladas and frozen lemon drops. Readers can wax nostalgic over the recipes for college-style drinks such as tequila sunrises and kamikazes. With its easy-to-follow instructions and Shaw’s sometimes sardonic comments (“I guess the fact that this contains cranberry is enough to make it Nantucket-y”), A Man’s Place is Behind the Bar belongs on every man—or woman’s—bookshelf.
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Classic Daiquiri
Makes 1 drink
Ingredients:
3 oz. light rum
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Garnish:
Lime round
Glass:
Old-fashioned
Instructions:
Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add rum and lime juice. Shake vigorously for 60 seconds. Set aside. Place lime round in bottom of glass. Add simple syrup and muddle. Add 3 ice cubes to glass. Shake rum mixture for 30 more seconds, then strain into glass and serve.
Tip: Sip, don’t chug. |
Reviewed
by Nancy Huang
PBKR051508
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