Cocktails the Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks

For a decent home bar, you will need a good range of basic spirits (see pp.15–16), which you can eventually expand on, adding drinks cataloged in the Alcohol ABC (see pp.164– 167). Many of the recipes in the book can be mixed up using just a few basic spirits. You can make nearly all the additional ingredients yourself by trying out the basic recipes in the Appendix (see pp.158–163). Alternatively, of course, you can always fall back on recommended ready-made products, but if you have time, always opt for homemade ingredients. From the homemade ginger beer alone (see p.42), a whole array of exquisite drinks can be made that will cause a sensation among your guests. It’s well worth the effort!

The drinks are divided into three chapters. In the first and second chapters, you will learn how to produce delicious results with little experience. In the third chapter, you can learn how to go freestyle for special occasions and evening events, something, with a bit of practice, you really should try. In the Appendix (see pp.172–173) you can search for the perfect drink according to your mood or situation. On page 14, you will find a key to the symbols used in the book. Whether you are looking for a strong, warm drink for the evening, nonalcoholic cocktails, or easy-toprepare recipes for evenings with lots of guests, you can use the symbols to guide you. On page 24 you will find out about bottled drinks that can be prepared easily in advance, for example, for parties. Finally, a bit of sound advice: it is of course important to treat alcohol responsibly. Crossing the boundary into alcoholism is easier than one might imagine, and then things are not remotely funny. Some drinks in this book are very strong, which is why you should drink water alongside them. I prefer to recommend fewer, albeit stronger, drinks, than an abundance of "chichi" drinks that are easily quaffable, but in the end are sure to give you a headache because they contain so much sugar. The same applies to quality: it is far better to indulge a bit less, but of the highest quality, and savor with true passion.