The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book (Classic Cocktail Books series) [Hardcover]

A. S. Crockett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2003

From pre Civil War bartending to the night clubs of the 1940s, these bar books document the trends and mores of their respective eras. Beginning with the first known recipe book compiled for those seeking to serve sophisticated beverages, through the birth of many of the 21st century's drink standards and the tales of those who consumed them, these drink guides provide an insider's glimpse into the excess and splendor of the pre- and post-Prohibition eras.
Based on the actual bar book used by the Waldorf-Astoria prior to Prohibition, this collection of cocktails serves up more than 350 recipes. In addition to documenting the origin of many cocktails and mixed drinks still commonplace today, the book chronicles the background of their creation and the antics of some of the cronies Buffalo Bill Cody and Bat Masterson, among others who were regulars at the bar.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A post-prohibition collection of pre-prohibition drink recipes based on the bar manual of the Waldorf-Astoria bar. This is a must have for anyone who has or indulges in the finer things in life.

About the Author

Albert Stevens was a noted historian of the Waldorf-Astoria during the days of prohibition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 178 pages
• Publisher: New Day Publishing (June 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974325902
• ISBN-13: 978-0974325903
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great Bar Book October 22, 2003

By George M.Burnell

Format:Hardcover

This is a unique book. It will give you much pleasure to read a brief and humorous history of the Prohibition years in America, with a collection of pre and post-prohibition cocktail drunk at the old Waldorf Bar, followed by a listing of pre-war mixed drinks. For each drink, you are treated with a delightful and humorous anecdote that will make great cocktail conversation.
For historians, there is a brief explanation of the origin and meaning of names given to each drink.
This book will make a great gift for anyone who appreciates a drink at cocktail time.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great buy for cocktail enthusiasts! February 24, 2006

By M. Wood

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Albert Crockett's The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book belongs on the shelf of any curious mixologist or cocktail enthusiast. This version is basically a reprint and repackaging of the original 1935 (1934?) edition. The quality of the typefaces and illustrations is pretty decent and the hardcover binding is great. For $10 this is a real value!

Mr. Jasper's review seems to miss one key element: Yes Mr. Crockett sounds a bit old and crusty and like he's telling your grandfather's stories...this book was published in 1935! Not only that, his assumed title on the first page is "Historian of the Old Waldorf-Astoria." And yes, by no means is this a good book for those wishing to mix modern drinks for a run-of-the-mill bar crowd. There are countless others out there for that purpose. However, it is an excellent read on the origin of modern cocktails, and spins some intriguing stories of the pre-Prohibition era. Perhaps it will inspire modern imbibers to seek out things like orange bitters, Benedictine, and a complement of glassware. Oh and by the way, Mr. Crockett recommends rye whiskey for the Manhattan. ;)

A related book (written 60 years later or so) is the excellent Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century (Harrington, Moorhead). It contains small essays on all the classic coktails as well recipes, background information, mixing techniques, etc. For some reason this book is still out of print, leading to ridiculous prices of $65 or more in the used market. If you can't score a copy you can read most of it at the Hotwired Cocktailtime web site.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to my Bar Book Collection October 20, 2003

By D. Burnell

Format:Hardcover

This beautifully reproduced book brings back a joyful recollection of history wrapped around the practical drink recipes that all my friends enjoy while I make them drinks in my home bar.

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it March 28, 2013

By Carl Gilbert

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a fantastic book. It is a great size, not bulky and small enough to fit in a large jacket pocket. It does come with a dust sleeve. As the synopsis of the book says, it has not only recipes but antidotal stories to go alongside the specific drinks but also just cocktail history in general. The history it provides is a first hand account of turn of the century drinking. I was just enthralled by that fact.

The recipes are also great, although antique in their ingredients. I have dog eared and made notation of drinks that I could use in a daily basis, but really some of these drinks require speciality liquors. Which of course is just motivation to increase my bar collection.

Be ready to buy Orange Bitters if you haven't already!

One of my best purchases on amazon.com in awhile.

4.0 out of 5 stars Cocktail Book 3 January 7, 2012

By Susan Starrett

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

A fun book to have on hand. Little gossipy tidbits. Lots of cocktail recipes. This book and others made great stocking stuffers.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book April 5, 2008

By the-house-elf

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This was a fun and informative read. If you like cocktails and history, its a book for you

9 of 35 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Cocktail Archaeology May 28, 2005

By Jon Jasper

Format:Hardcover

To start, this book isn't bad - but it's not useful. Basically this is like hearing long stories from your grandfather's "glory days" as a young man. My impression or guesses about the author is that he's an older gentleman who finds today's chain restaurant and trendy, "theme" bars an abomination when compared to the days of "real" cocktail drinking from the early days of the 20th century and those nasty days of prohibition. To some degree, he's right - anyone who orders a chocolate martini should be shot dead on the spot. Many of the acne-scarred kids behind the bar of a Friday's or whathaveyou have no more an idea of what a Manhattan is, other than a big city somewhere in New York State. That said, there are some interesting eye-witness accounts on what it was like to drink during prohibition - who knew? Scary sounding stuff.

On the whole, this is like listening to an older person's windy stories about "when I was your age..." There's much value and merit in that - don't get me wrong. Cocktail recipe-wise, the recipes are too old and outdated to be of any use to anyone, unless you're trying to open a theme bar under the prohibition theme - in which case you're probably more concerned about decor and finding a life-size cardboard Al Capone than authentically mixed cocktails. That brings us to what I took to be the author's point - there are too few "real" bartenders are out there - those who know a Manhattan should be made with bourbon, not blended whiskey and should always use a dash of bitters. Our world has changed and to some degree, sadly passsed the need for that kind of bartender by.... People today are too interested in seeing a silly juggling act behind the bar and tastes have changed away from people who enjoy the taste of spirits to those who want to cover up that nasty alcohol taste with candy. Kiddie drinks are now the norm, and this book laments the passing of the real cocktails - those that don't include whole fruit or blenders.

You'll get better history out of Cocktails in New York. This is an archaeological work - you'll need to know your subject before digging in. You won't be gleefully making drinks from this book for your friends - I dare you to find 8 people who will drink any of these without complaint that they're too strong or aren't sweet enough. These are not drinks for anyone who has ever had a frozen anything or mixes anything with Coke, Sprite, etc. If anyone tells you "I like Chambord" or any of the zillion fakey, flavored schnapps, they will not like these cocktails. Cocktail drinker eschew those sugary, candy flavored liquids. I'm a bar manager and refuse to even stock them. Kiddie drinkers can go drink at a kiddies bar. Read more ›