Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist

Front Cover
Harvard Common Press, Sep 12, 2007 - Cooking - 496 pages
In Good Spirits, A.J. Rathbun has collected 450 of the best cocktail recipes, featuring an incredible variety of spirits, mixers, and garnishes.  With its stunning, full-color photographs and fresh, lively tone, this is the definitive guide to both classic and contemporary drinks for anyone who appreciates the art of the cocktail. The recipes in Good Spirits are organized by theme, so it’s easy to find the perfect drink for every mood and occasion. The 12 chapters include “Cool It Down” (summer drinks, such as the Bellini and the Gin Fizz), “Gold Standards” (classics such as the Manhattan and the Sidecar), and “Fresh Faces” (creative new drinks, such as the Dublin 8 and Urban Bourbon). Hosting a party? Mix up a bowl of Champagne Punch. Preparing a romantic evening for two? Opt for the Cupid Cocktail or a couple of Silk Stockings.
For anyone who wants to go beyond mixing a few new cocktails and become a home bartender, a thorough introduction provides information on all the different varieties of liquors and mixers, glassware, and essential equipment.
Throughout the book, Rathbun’s unabashed passion for and knowledge of his subject are clear in engaging headnotes and sidebars such as “Four Drinks to Induce Dancing,” “Top Five Movie Star Mixes,” and “Four Drinks Not to Serve the In-laws.” Good Spirits is like the perfect party: the drinks go down easy and everyone, from the casual cocktail drinker to the connoisseur, will have a great time.

About the author (2007)

A. J. Rathbun is a freelance food and entertaining writer and the author of Champagne Cocktails, Wine Cocktails, Dark Spirits, Luscious Liqueurs, Party Drinks!, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award-winning Good Spirits. Rathbun earned his MFA in creative writing from Western Michigan University, and has worked variously as a buyer for Amazon.com, an usher at the Art Institute of Chicago, a rock band roadie, an envelope stuffer, a marketing assistant, the director of the Poetry After Hours program at the Seattle Art Museum, an online editor, a waiter, and of course, a bartender. In addition to his cookbooks, Rathbun is the editor of In Their Cups and the author of Want, two poetry collections. Rathbun has been a guest, talking about drinks, food, entertaining, and kitchen products, on numerous radio shows, including Martha Stewart's Everyday Food satellite radio program and USA Radio, has done interviews with a variety of publications, including the Seattle Times, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and the Arizona Republic, and has contributed to the magazines Every Day with Rachael Ray and Wine Enthusiast, among others. He is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the Museum of the American Cocktail. He teaches cocktail classes at the cooking school Dish It Up, one of which was recently profiled in the magazine Traditional Homes. Rathbun lives in Seattle, Washington. To learn more about him and his books, and to read his blog, Spiked Punch, and check out a few of his drink-making videos, visit his website at www.ajrathbun.com.

Bibliographic information