In the mood for a Summer Hummer?
How about a French Flirt or a Neon Nexus?
or Maybe even a Sin City Slider?

This book includes these and 150 more cool cocktails for a crowd--everything from classics like Sangría, Martinis, and Manhattans, to newer favorites like Kamikazes and Mudslides, to international raves such as Brazil's Caipirinha and Cuba's Mojito, not to mention liquor-free variations. Plus, there's information on mixing techniques, ingredients, equipment, and glassware, hangover helpers, tips on party food for non-cooks, and a user-friendly index that lists recipes by ingredients.

Serving pitcher drinks is an ingeniously effortless way to entertain and still have fun at your own party. It's an idea whose time has come--in fact, it's long overdue. No doubt about it, a premixed pitcher of drinks is a huge asset to any gathering. Making individual cocktails not only takes time, but removes you from the action. So mix up a batch of pitcher drinks and join in the party. They're stylish, fun, and easy, and they definitely take the angst out of entertaining!

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Use Me

How to Use This Book

SPECIAL DRINK-RELATED SECTIONS ARE INCLUDED to give your pitcher drinks pizzazz: Bar Banter: Ingredients and Terms; Pitcher-Drink "Stuff": Equipment-Gadgets, Gizmos, and Glassware; Doin' the Twist: Garnishes and Other Fandangos; Measuring Up: Measurement Equivalents; When the Spirits Move You: How to Light Up the Party Without Getting Lit; and Tipsy Turvy: Hangover Helpers. There's also a chapter on party food for people who don't like to cook-Effortless Eats.

CROSS REFERENCES are indicated by small capitals, pointing to the definitions in Bar Banter.

DIRECTORY OF DRINKS BY CATEGORY gives you at-a-glance access to recipes by style and potency. The headings are: Classic Cocktails and Drinks, Popular Favorites, Tropical Tempters, Sparkling Sippers, Dessert in a Glass, Potent Concoctions (High Alcohol), In the Mood (Moderate Alcohol), Easy Does It (Low to Moderate Alcohol), and Buzz-Free Zone (Liquor-Free).

DRINK RECIPES are arranged in a user-friendly A-to-Z format. Referring to either the Directory of Drinks by Category or the Index will lead you to just the drink you want. But if you know what you want-such as a Martini-you can find it easily alphabetically.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS are listed first for home use (tablespoons, cups), then in fluid ounces for bartenders looking for pitcher panache.

ICE CUBES are standard size, not miniature.

WATER IS ADDED in those recipes where single-drink preparations are classically shaken with ice, which melts slightly and contributes water to the drink.

THE INDEX is particularly extensive, listing recipes by the name of the drink, as well as by the drink's primary ingredients.

Th-th-that's all, folks. Now go party hearty with these fun party drinks!

A grasshopper hops into a bar and the bartender says,

"Hey, there's a drink named after you."

The grasshopper exclaims in surprise,

"You gotta be kiddin'-there's a drink named Ralph?"

Bar Banter

Ingredients and Terms

FOLLOWING IS AN A-TO-Z LISTING OF INGREDIENTS and terms used in this book. Cross-references to terms defined in this section are indicated by small capitals. Pronunciations are given for all but the obvious. For a more extensive listing of all things boozy, see The Ultimate A-to-Z Bar Guide, Broadway Books (a Random House imprint).

ABSENTE [AB-sent] Called "Absinthe refined" by the producer, Absente is the most recent proxy for the forbidden absinthe. Instead of the toxic wormwood, Absente contains southernwood (petite absinthe), which is said to contribute the more authentic flavor of the original. Absente's primary flavor hit is anise, but there are myriad herbs that contribute to its multifaceted palate. The clear, pale-green color of this liqueur turns opaque when mixed with water. Absente is a powerful 55 percent alcohol, which is still considerably less than the 68 percent absinthe. Substitutes for Absente include pernod, ouzo, and anisette.

ABSINTHE [AB-sinth] A green, anise-flavored liqueur that was banned in the United States and other countries in the early twentieth century because it contains wormwood, which is toxic when taken in quantity. If that weren't enough, this French potable is a potent 68 percent alcohol. It was the wormwood-high octane fusion that prompted many in the nineteenth-century Parisian artistic community (such as Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Oscar Wilde) to nickname it the "green muse." Among the many absinthe substitutes are absente, anisette, ouzo, and pernod.

ALCOHOL Although used generally to specifically describe any alcoholic liquor, alcohol is a distillation of the...

 

Sharon Tyler Herbst is an award-winning author of seventeen books, including the bestselling The New Food Lover's Companion, The Ultimate A-to-Z Bar Guide, and The New Food Lover's Tiptionary. Herbst is a media personality, food and travel journalist, and consultant and spokesperson for national food and beverage companies. Her website is www.sharontylerherbst.com.

From the Trade Paperback...