The Art of the Bar: Cocktails Inspired by the Classics (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Rob Schwartz (Author), Frankie Frankeny (Photographer), Georgeanne Brennan (Foreword) "WHEN AMERICANS BEGAN DRINKING COCKTAILS in the late 1800s, they were nothing more than a style of drink, much like a punch, fizz, or cobbler..." (more)
Key Phrases: velvet falernum, chilled cocktail glass, ounce fresh grapefruit juice, New Orleans, San Francisco, Velvet Falernum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From Tokyo to New York, a cocktail renaissance is happening as "bar chefs" create delicious elixirs worthy of their kitchen counterparts. An epicenter of this barroom artistry can be found at the Absinthe Brasserie & Bar in San Francisco (a city that spends more money per capita on alcohol than any other in the country). Bartenders Jeff Hollinger and Bob Schwartz share their artisan approach for stunning creations that unveil a new spectrum of flavors. Fresh herbs and even aromatic lavender are deftly used to augment classic and new cocktail recipes. Syrups and mixes are carefully crafted from scratch, ensuring small-batch perfection and a harmony of flavors. Acclaimed photographer Frankie Frankeny captures their virtuoso mixing performances with a refreshing take on the cocktail, creating a showpiece for any living room.

About the Author

Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwartz have combined 16 years of bartending experience, with more than six at Absinthe in San Francisco. Jeff lives in the San Francisco Bay area, and Rob lives in Manhattan. Georgeanne Brennan is the James Beard Award-winning author of numerous cookbooks such as Great Greens. She lives in Northern California and France. Frankie Frankeny is a San Francisco-based photographer whose work has illustrated many books, including The Wine Lover's Dessert Book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (October 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811854981
• ISBN-13: 978-0811854986
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #111,957 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent incite into creating cocktillian style drinks, November 2, 2007

By	D. Hamp (Utah) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A must have for home bartenders that want to maintain a consummate menu in their bar. The book discusses unique ingredients, their uses, and even gives the recipes for various drinks served at the Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in San Francisco.

Why use Maraschino cherries in your bar when you can make homemade Brandied Cherries? Need to sweeten things up a little there are multiple syrups such as the simple syrup or even a balsamic syrup.

Don't be mistaken, this is neither a long read or an in-depth study of Mixology. At the same time, it is not just a recipe book without a soul. The gentlemen that wrote the book provided a perfect balance of ingredients to come up with a cocktail that they have proudly named "The Art of the Bar".

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking Cocktails to New Heights, February 6, 2009

By	Amy Senk "Read it, Loved it" (Orange County, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The San Francisco restaurant Absinthe is revered for its bartenders, and here we get a sneak peak into the way their minds work. It's a book that includes some philosophy, a lot of recipes, and even more opinions on things that really make a difference. Like ice, or glassware.

We have a few cocktail books we swear by, including Dale DeGroff's classic Craft of the Cocktail. While there are some overlapping recipes and so forth, this book is a must-have for us. We find the recipes easy to use and tempting, and the text inspirational and educational.

Makes us miss San Francisco a lot, but very glad we can have little Absinthe bar time right in our own home.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great cocktail book!, February 7, 2007

By	Roger Friedenthal MD (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Very professional mixologists who have an honest and organic approach to cocktails. There is a real discussion of the principals of ingredients and blending. IMHO this is as enjoyable in its own way as Degroff's "The Craft of the Cocktail."