Customer Reviews

Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What's cooking in Nick Mautone's kitchen? Cocktails, that's what. Known to many New Yorkers as the master of mixology, Mautone is a believer in quality ingredients for both food and drinks. The majority of his years have been spent in the restaurant business, so he well knows the importance of perfectly pairing cocktails with food. Happy Hour takes on new meaning if this fellow's in charge.

"Raising The Bar," 288 pages of helpful suggestion, recipes and tempting toddies, is a guide for both beginners and the more experienced. Included are more than 250 recipes covering both classic and original signature drinks (Banana Buttered Rum surely does warm on a cold winter's eve).

Among the chapter headings are holiday cocktails, many intended to cut down on preparation time so a host can enjoy his or her own party. For instance, Mautone's holiday eggnog can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before serving.

Welcome a new year with a twist on traditional champagne by making Ginger Champagne Punch for friends, neighbors, and drop-ins. Mautone makes it even more festive and sweet by rimming champagne glasses with powdered ginger and granulated sugar. Check out the heading "Trick of the Trade" for a plethora of party pleasers.

Designated drivers, alcohol abstainers, and moms to be aren't ignored as an entire chapter is devoted to non-alcoholic cocktails, which are every bit as pretty and palate pleasing as their alcohol laced kin.

Pairing his enthusiasm for both food and drink Mautone also offers recipes for do-it-yourself garnishes and finger snacks - great for buffet tables and pre-dinner munchies.

After all the time he's spent behind some of New York's most prestigious bars - Gotham Bar and Grill, the Hudson River Club - Mautone is a veritable fountain of recipes, suggestions, and good ideas. For those who want to make better drinks this is the book - bar none.

- Gail Cooke

In "Raising the Bar", Nick Mautone brings a new fresh perspective to entertaining. Being an avid reader of his column in Cargo magazine, I was intrigued to learn that he had written a book on cocktails and entertaining. Mr. Mautone's approach to basic concepts about drink making deconstructed my original thinking and recompiled it into a completely limitless wealth of possibilities. A great example is after reading the recipe for the "Basil Martini", I will never look at a Bloody Mary the same way again.

Though many other writers have published different ideas in food magazines, they always seem to be awkward and complicated. In contrast Mr. Mautone's easy and savory recipes and ideas leave me scratching my head and wondering "Why didn't I ever think of that?". Having had the opportunity to play with the drink recipes and pairing them with the food ideas "Raising the Bar" has surpassed any and all expectations I would have in an entertaining book.

I am a bartender at a high volume, outdoor bar in Key West Fl. Our bar is set up for maximum speed...and unfortunately many times that means that the final product is not something that I am entirely happy with...but it works fine for what we are doing.

The recipes in this book are the kinds of drinks I would prepare on a day off, for friends from my own private bar at home.

Drinks you can be proud to serve. Drinks that have been tweaked by a "master mixoligist"...and Nick Mautone is definitely a master of his craft.

I collect cocktail books, and rarely will I purchase a new release and be pleased with it. This book however is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I find myself referencing it more and more frequently.

My only complaint is that the Mr. Mautone varies the servings for each recipe...which is really no big deal as they can easily be increased or decreased depending on your desired need. I am just used to reading a recipe and it yielding 1 drink.

Filled with gorgeous color photos, the book is great as a coffee table book as well.

Fabulous book! Great recipes for standard and unusual cocktails. The attractive photographs really entice you to try making the drinks. The text is interesting, well-organized, personal, and informative. This would make a wonderful gift or hostess present.

Raising The Bar: Better Drinks Better Entertaining is far more than just another a cocktail book. Though it features 250 recipes and full-color photographs, Raising The Bar goes a step further and offers the tested secrets of a professional restaurant manager to serving cocktails for a crowd, planning a head, perfecting techniques for mixing a drink, tips, tricks, techniques, and more. Tasty original recipes include Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita, Strawberry Kiwi Sangria, and Watermelon Lemonade. A must-have for anyone seeking not only to hone their drink-mixing skills, but also improve their presentation, and flair to professional food service levels.

I picked up this fantastic book based on the overwhelmingly positive nature of the reviews posted and was not disappointed. It's not often that you find a bar guide that takes such care in pairing drinks with foods. On top of this Nick Mautone has taken incredible steps to make this book useful to the novice and experienced mixologist.

Even if you should find yourself disliking the majority of drinks included in "Raising the Bar" you will gain a deeper insight into the art of pairing food and drink for a truly divine dining experience. This is an art that is lost in many homes, and one that needs the kind of attention and care that has been offered in this handy hardcover tome.

While there are more advanced (but simple to prepare) drinks included in this book the overall message is one of the simplicity of enhancing any experience with food by including the proper spirits.

In addition "Raising the Bar" is well put together: it's a sturdy hardcover book with thick pages, lush photography and easy to read type. The ease of using this book makes it an essential companion to your family bar, kitchen, or bookshelf.

Nick Mautone has done a fabulous job in writing this book. It offers those of us that have a very limited bar vocabulary the abiility to create a vast variety of fabulous offerings. He also enlightens you with detail of the tools and ingredients you need to have on hand in order to make them. I have several books that I have used for this purpose in the past, but this is the best and I highly recommend it for everyone that entertains. The author also offers nonalcoholic recipes, hors d'oeuvres, punches, holiday warmers and summer mixes. It's a must! Here's to you Nick!
Will Jones
Rocklin, CA Raising the Bar: Better Drinks, Better Entertaining

This is much more in-depth than your typical bar guide. It has lots of useful information that goes into the background of things and offers more than the simple "pour these ingredients together and mix" book. It is a bit opinionated but I'd rather have that than the opposite.

I am drinking the Frozen Raspberry Daiquiri from the book as I type this (hic!), and it is delicious. I found this book at the library and am sick of checking it out, so now I am buying it. Every book in my kitchen has earned its place there (I have a very small kitchen), and this book will be no exception. The Summer Buck and the Watermelon Cooler are next...