This book simplifies confusing terminology and complex techniques to unlock the magic of 70 classic and original cocktail recipes, and teaches you everything you need to know to master hundreds more.
With a comprehensive introduction to everything from balance and dilution to how to achieve the perfect foam (and why a chopstick is an essential piece of kit), 70 recipes and a host of nerdy focus sections on hero drinks such as the Dry Martini and Daiquiri, this is the home bartenders bible.
These simple-yet-delicious cocktails are divided into three chapters: No Shake, Sherlock - the easiest to make, requiring little or no preparation, and using standard spirits and mixers; Shake It Up - slightly more complex concoctions that need a quick shake or stir; and Magnificent Mixes - special drinks for the more decadent drinking occasions which require a little more prep, or an unusual ingredient here and there.
We all expect to be able to buy an excellent cup of coffee from the many brilliant coffee shops available. But what about the coffee we make at home? Shouldn't that be just as good?
Coffee expert James Hoffmann runs Square Mile Coffee, as well as creating extremely informative, and popular, kit and coffee reviews for his YouTube and Instagram channels. In his latest book he demonstrates everything you need to know to make consistently excellent coffee at home, including: what kit is worth buying, and what isn't; how to grind coffee; the basics of brewing for all major equipment (cafetiere, aeropress, stovetop etc); understanding coffee drinks, from the cortado to latte; and the perfect espresso.
In the first part of the book Zoe urgess helps you understand why cocktails work, looking at the five basic tastes and other elements, including the flavour profiles of key spirits. She pulls apart classic recipes to explore their structure and explains why certain ingredients work together.
The second part of the book puts that knowledge into practice, with more than 80 recipes for drinks organised by cocktail type - champagne-based, stirred, bitter, sour and long. In each chapter Zoe builds on the basic recipe, layering on additional ingredients and variations to ensure you go on the journey of exploration with her, and get under the skin of how the cocktails are built.
