All the kitchen secrets, techniques, recipes, and inspiration you need to craft transcendent cocktails, from essential, canonical classics to imaginative all-new creations from America's Test Kitchen. Cocktail making is part art and part science--just like cooking. The first-ever cocktail book from America's Test Kitchen brings our objective, kitchen-tested and -perfected approach to the craft of making cocktails. You always want your cocktail to be something special--whether you're in the mood for a simple Negroni, a properly muddled Caipirinha, or a big batch of Margaritas or Bloody Marys with friends. After rigorous recipe testing, we're able to reveal not only the ideal ingredient proportions and best mixing technique for each drink, but also how to make homemade tonic for your Gin and Tonic, and homemade sweet vermouth and cocktail cherries for your Manhattan. And you can't simply quadruple any Margarita recipe and have it turn out right for your group of guests--to serve a crowd, the proportions must change. You can always elevate that big-batch Margarita, though, with our Citrus Rim Salt or Sriracha Rim Salt. How to Cocktail offers 150 recipes that range from classic cocktails to new America's Test Kitchen originals. Our two DIY chapters offer streamlined recipes for making superior versions of cocktail cherries, cocktail onions, flavored syrups, rim salts and sugars, bitters, vermouths, liqueurs, and more. And the final chapter includes a dozen of our test cooks' favorite cocktail-hour snacks. All along the way, we solve practical challenges for the home cook, including how to make an array of cocktails without having to buy lots of expensive bottles, how to use a Boston shaker, what kinds of ice are best and how to make them, and much more.

Hi. I see you’re reading the back of my book. This tells me that you either: A) are hoping to find a brief summary of what to expect from a how-to book by Sterling Archer, the world’s greatest secret agent, or B) don’t know how books work. If your answer was “A,” your best bet is probably the table of contents, which is where you’ll find the “contents” of this book listed in a convenient, easy-to-read “table” format. So maybe go check that out for a minute and then come back here. I’ll wait. . . . Pretty cool, right? What other book will teach you how to dress properly and how to drive an elephant? How to field strip an AK-47 and how to haggle with a Thai prostitute—in her native tongue? How to pilot an airboat and how to make about a million delicious cocktails, including a Molotov one? How to kill a guy and how to prepare a fabulous brunch? Plus how to do tons of other stuff that I forgot, but that is nonetheless probably in this book (which, to be honest, I really only kinda skimmed). So if you want to learn more about how to be more—or at all—like Sterling Archer, the world’s greatest secret agent, quit smearing your greasy fingerprints all over this book and buy it. For one thing, I really need the royalties. For another thing, the last time I checked, this wasn’t a damn library. (Note: If your answer was “B,” this probably isn’t the book you want to start with.)

James, a writer for Comedy Central's "The Man Show," dispenses advice on a variety of subjects in this guide to life as told through beer, man's other best friend.

Add a dash of cool to your cocktail with The Brooklyn Bartender, an entertaining and informative illustrated guide for anyone who wants to mix delicious, unique and hip variations on classic drinks and spirits. From "one of the best cocktail writers around" (Library Journal) Carey Jones, comes a unique and practical guide to the most inventive drinks being served by real mixologists in Brooklyn clubs and bars today. Featuring full color images, recipes, tips, and handily organized by spirit, The Brooklyn Bartender also profiles the bars, pubs, and gastropubs and the resident bartender's recommendations for events and more. You'll enjoy: Chapters on gin, vodka, whiskey, rum and cachaca, tequila, mezcal, brandy, amaro and more Details on wine, beer, and bubbly treats Techniques, or when to shake and when to stir Recipes for syrups and infusions Tips on stocking your home bar for any event A primer on standard equipment for upping your mixing talent Whether you want to sit at one of these cool bars and sip the house creation or begin your own mixing at home inspired by the experts from New York City's coolest borough, The Brooklyn Bartender is a great addition to your home library and the perfect gift. Cheers!

Master the mysteries of wine. The study of wine and beverages has become integral to hospitality education. The Wine, Beer, and Spirits Handbook demystifies the wine and wine-making process, examining not only the making and flavor profiles of wine, beer, and spirits, but also the business of wine service as practiced by a chef or sommelier. Unique to this book, is the strong emphasis on food and wine pairings, as well as food and beverage interactions. An entire chapter uncovers this broad, often intimidating, topic with detailed information on table wines, sparkling wines, fortified wines, beer and spirits. More importantly, The Handbook explains the responsibilities of a sommelier from both service and managerial perspectives. Readers explore their wine-related duties including: the developing of wine lists, identifying faulty wines, ordering, receiving, and storing wines, conducting inventory control, pricing, product research, cellar management, and the health and legal implications of wine consumption. A comprehensive, one-stop resource to the character and best use of beverages, The Wine, Beer, and Spirits Handbook will help every student, chef, sommelier and wine enthusiast confidently master the mysteries of wine and other beverages.

From aperitif to digestif, approach every meal with savvy and grace. We’ve all experienced Fancy-Pants Restaurant Jitters at some point – the fear that you will unknowingly commit some fine-dining crime, whether it’s using the wrong fork, picking an amateur wine, mispronouncing foie gras, or gasping when your fish entrée arrives with its head still attached. Relax. The Mere Mortal’s Guide to Fine Dining is the ultimate antidote to restaurant anxiety. Where does your napkin go when you leave the table? Should you sniff the wine cork? And why, pray tell, are there so many forks? This comprehensive and accessible primer answers these and dozens of other questions and offers the basics on every aspect of fine dining, including: * How to navigate a place setting * Speaking menu-ese and the language of fine food * A refresher on polite and polished table manners * 911 for wine novices * A carnivore’s guide to beef, pork, lamb, and veal * What local, sustainable, and organic really mean * Japanese dining dos and don’ts * Who’s who on a restaurant’s staff * How to be a regular—or get the perks like one * Top restaurants across the country * What the food snobs know (and you should, too) * And much more… With a little help, any Mere Mortal can order wine with confidence, get great, attitude-free service, decipher menus, and finally, truly, savor any dining experience.

The perfect gift for any bookworm in your life! The Book Lover's Cup of Tea includes an innovative book-shaped tea infuser (titled "A Tale of Two Ci-Teas") that offers two ways to brew: Dunk the entire book into your cup, or let the cover rest on the rim of your tea cup and hang the tea-filled pages into your hot water to steep. The kit also includes a 32-page mini book with tips for making the perfect cup of tea; suggestions for tea and book pairings (fancy a cup of Dorian Earl Gray?); and scrumptious recipes for tea sandwiches, cakes, and cookies, perfect for a book club gathering or a long, lazy day of reading.