The Perfect Cocktail [Paperback]

Greg Dempsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 1995

Whether you're serving the classic cocktail or the latest specialty shot, today's bartender or host needs to know more than how to splash liquor into a glass.

Pouring a flawless drink is an art, and The Perfect Cocktail shows you how to do it right every time.  It covers all the most frequently ordered drinks--the classics like a Bloody Mary and a Dry Martini--but it is also the only guide to include complete recipes for the newest mixed drinks and the latest specialty shots, concoctions with names like Woo Woo and Fireball.  

Here are all the drink recipes that you'll ever need to know--and none of the recipes that no one seems to order.

So whether you're a home bartender who wants to pour a perfect drink every time, or a professional who'd like to brush up on technique and stay ahead of the crowd's shifting tastes, The Perfect Cocktail is the most valuable tool behind any bar or in any kitchen.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

HOT DRINKS

ADULT HOT CHOCOLATE

1 shot peppermint schnapps
Hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Top with whipped cream and serve.

AMARETTO CAFE

1 shot amaretto
Hot black coffee
Whipped cream
Top with whipped cream and serve.

BAILEYS AND COFFEE

1 shot Baileys Irish Cream
Hot black coffee
Whipped cream
Top with whipped cream and serve.

COMFORTABLE FIRE

1 shot Southern Comfort
Hot apple cider
Cinnamon stick
Garnish and serve.

COMFORTABLE MOCHA

1 shot Southern Comfort
Hot chocolate
Hot black coffee
Serve.

FUZZY NUT

1 shot peach schnapps
1/4 shot amaretto
Hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Top with whipped cream and serue.

GROG

1 shot rum
1 teaspoon/packet sugar
Dash of lime juice
Boiling water
Cinnamon stick
Stir.

HOT BUTTERED RUM

1 1/2 shots dark rum
1 teaspoon/packet sugar
1 teaspoon butter
Boiling water
Grated nutmeg
Stir and dust with nutmeg.

HOT GOLD

1 shot amaretto
Warm orange juice
Cinnamon stick
Garnish and serve.

HOT NAIL

1 shot Scotch whisky
I/2 shot Drambuie
Dash of lemon juice
Boiling water
Lemon slice and cinnamon stick
Garnish and serve.

HOT PEPPERMINT PATTY

1 shot peppermint schnapps
Hot chocolate
Splash of milk
Whipped cream
Top with whipped cream and serve.

HOT TODDY

1 shot blended whiskey
1 teaspoon/packet sugar
Boiling water
Grated nutmeg
Cinnamon stick
Stir first 3 ingredients, dust with nutmeg, and garnish with cinnamonstick.

HOUSE FIRE

1 shot amaretto
Hot apple cider
Cinnamon stick
Garnish and serve.
Copyright © 1995 by Greg Dempsey

From the Inside Flap

Whether you're serving the classic cocktail or the latest specialty shot, today's bartender or host needs to know more than how to splash liquor into a glass.

Pouring a flawless drink is an art, and The Perfect Cocktail shows you how to do it right every time. It covers all the most frequently ordered drinks--the classics like a Bloody Mary and a Dry Martini--but it is also the only guide to include complete recipes for the newest mixed drinks and the latest specialty shots, concoctions with names like Woo Woo and Fireball.

Here are all the drink recipes that you'll ever need to know--and none of the recipes that no one seems to order.

So whether you're a home bartender who wants to pour a perfect drink every time, or a professional who'd like to brush up on technique and stay ahead of the crowd's shifting tastes, The Perfect Cocktail is the most valuable tool behind any bar or in any kitchen.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books; 1 edition (November 20, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038547914X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385479141
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,843,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Far better than Mr. Boston book or any other, July 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Perfect Cocktail (Paperback)

Unlike all the other books on the same subject this one has all the information you NEED and not all those other drinks no ones ever heard of. Plus all sorts of great info. on setting up a home bar and other things like that. Hard to believe but it's actually fun to read. A GREAT BOOK!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Tool, January 2, 2001

By 

V. Kurth (WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Perfect Cocktail (Paperback)

Not being very knowleadgable about drinks and what they are made of, I found this book to be especially helpful. It described the art of making cocktails and provided useful information for people who would like to concoct their own drinks at home. The number of recipes included is extensive, nicely divided into subcategories like "mixed drinks" or "shots", etc. The only downside of the book is that it is not always clear about the precise amounts a person should use of each ingredient. For example it vould say "1 shot of Amaretto" and below that as the next ingredient simply "Sour Mix". But how much? So in my opinion the book could use some work, but it is helpful even the way it is.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply perfect, April 5, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (summerland,ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Perfect Cocktail (Paperback)

The Perfect Cocktail has been the most helpful guide that I have used in my 5 yr. of bartending. It is a simple breakdown of the making and selling of drinks. It is perfect for a basic tavern because the ingredients are basic, while other guides consist of recipes/products that would be more likely to be called for/in stock at a more formal establishment. The best tip I've gotten from this book is not to wad up my tips, to lay them flat to save time counting .