The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

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The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks
TheFineArtOfMixingDrinks.jpg
First edition (published by Doubleday)
Author David A. Embury
Country United States
LanguageEnglish
Published1948 (Doubleday)

The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks is a book about cocktails by David A. Embury, first published in 1948. [1] The book is noteworthy for its witty, highly opinionated and conversational tone, [2] as well as its categorization of cocktails into two main types: aromatic and sour; its categorization of ingredients into three categories: the base, modifying agents, and special flavorings and coloring agents; and its 1:2:8 ratio (1 part sweet, 2 parts sour, 8 parts base) for sour type cocktails.

Contents

Basic principles

Embury first outlines some basic principles for fashioning a quality cocktail: [1]

Embury stresses frequently that the drink will never be any better than the quality of the cheapest ingredient in it, and hence he stresses constantly the need for the highest quality spirits, liqueurs, cordials, and modifiers (fresh squeezed lemons, etc.). He also repeatedly stresses that a cocktail, in the classic sense (a before-dinner drink) should have no more than the slightest touch of sweetness to it, and deplores the use of drinks like the Brandy Alexander as pre-prandial cocktails, as they dull rather than sharpen the appetite. He does not denigrate sweet drinks as such, but rather points out that they are excellent after dinner or mid-afternoon drinks accompanying cake or chocolate cookies, but they are anathema as a "cocktail" before a large meal.

In terms of IBA Official Cocktails, Embury describes classic Before-Dinner Cocktails, which whet the appetite, not other categories. [1]

Components of a cocktail

Embury breaks all cocktail ingredients down into three categories:

The base is the principal ingredient of the cocktail. It is typically a single spirit such as rum, gin, or whiskey, and typically makes up 75 percent or more of the total volume of the cocktail before icing.

The modifying agent is the ingredient that gives the cocktail its character. Its function is to soften the raw alcohol taste of the base while enhancing its natural flavor. Typical modifying agents are aromatic wines (such as vermouth) and spirits (such as Fernet Branca or Amer Picon), bitters, fruit juices and "smoothing agents" such as sugar, eggs, and cream.

Special flavoring and coloring agents include liqueurs (such as Grand Marnier or Chartreuse), Cordials, bitters like Angostura Bitters, etc. and non-alcoholic flavored syrups (such as grenadine or orgeat syrup). These are typically used in place of simple syrup, and are to be used sparingly.

Categories of cocktails

Embury breaks all cocktails down into two categories:

Cocktails of the Aromatic Type use as modifying agents bitters or aromatic wines or spirits.

Cocktails of the Sour Type use as modifying agents a fruit juice (typically, lemon or lime) and sugar. For these a ratio of 1 part sweet to 2 parts sour to 8 parts base is generally recommended. However, Embury makes it very clear that he thinks the idea that a drink must be made according to one exact recipe preposterous, and that the final arbiter is always your taste. He suggests trying different ratios, finding the one that is most pleasing to you, and sticking with it.

Once one understands the basic components of each type of drink, new cocktails can be created by substituting a different base or modifying agent or by adding a special flavoring or coloring agent. A daiquiri, for example, is nothing more than a whiskey sour with rum substituted for whiskey as the base and lime juice substituted for lemon juice as a modifying agent. An entire chapter of the book ("Roll Your Own") is dedicated to this premise.

Six basic drinks

Embury's six basic drinks are the Daiquiri, the Jack Rose, the Manhattan, the Martini, the Old Fashioned, and the Sidecar. Embury's preferred recipe for each is:

Daiquiri

Shake with much finely crushed ice and strain well into a chilled cocktail glass.

Jack Rose

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon, if desired.

Manhattan

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and serve garnished with a Maraschino cherry.

Martini

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with an olive, preferably one stuffed with any kind of nut. Embury also states that sherry is a nice substitute for vermouth.

Old Fashioned

In an old-fashioned glass, add bitters to simple syrup and stir. Add about 1 ounce of whiskey and stir again. Add two cubes of cracked, but not crushed, ice and top off with the rest of the whiskey. Twist lemon peel over the top and serve garnished with the lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.

Sidecar

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon, if desired.

Chapters

From the 1958 edition:

  1. Basic Principles
  2. Glassware, Gimmicks, and Gadgets
  3. Lemons, Limes and Liquors
  4. Pertinent Pointers
  5. Six Basic Cocktails
  6. Roll Your Own
  7. Liqueurs
  8. The Use and Abuse of Liquor
  9. Bureaucratic and Other Idiosyncrasies
  10. Vodka Drinks
  11. Short Drinks, Including More Cocktails
  12. Tall Drinks
  13. Party Drinks
  14. Hot Drinks
  15. Picker-Uppers
  16. Food and Drink
  17. Conclusion

Reception

The book gained immediate popularity and quickly became one of the most referenced and cited cocktail books. In modern times, the book has been described as "famous" [3] and a "Bible" for crafting cocktails. [2]

Editions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gin and tonic</span> Highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water

A gin and tonic is a highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water poured over a large amount of ice. The ratio of gin to tonic varies according to taste, strength of the gin, other drink mixers being added, etc., with most recipes calling for a ratio between 1:1 and 1:3. It is usually garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. To preserve effervescence, the tonic can be poured down a bar spoon. The ice cools the gin, dulling the effect of the alcohol in the mouth and making the drink more pleasant and refreshing to taste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattan (cocktail)</span> Cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters

A Manhattan is a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. While rye is the traditional whiskey of choice, other commonly used whiskies include Canadian whisky, bourbon, blended whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey. The cocktail is usually stirred with ice then strained into a chilled cocktail glass and garnished traditionally with a maraschino cherry. A Manhattan may also be served on the rocks in a lowball glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old fashioned (cocktail)</span> Cocktail made with whiskey, bitters and sugar

The old fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey or sometimes brandy, and garnishing with an orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry. It is traditionally served with ice in an old fashioned glass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Collins</span> Cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water

The Tom Collins is a Collins cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. First memorialized in writing in 1876 by Jerry Thomas, "the father of American mixology", this "gin and sparkling lemonade" drink is typically served in a Collins glass over ice with a cherry garnish. A non-alcoholic "Collins mix" mixer is produced, enjoyed by some as a soft drink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidecar (cocktail)</span> Cocktail traditionally made with cognac, orange liqueur and lemon

The sidecar is any cocktail traditionally made with cognac, orange liqueur, plus lemon juice. In its ingredients, the drink is perhaps most closely related to the older brandy crusta, which differs both in presentation and in proportions of its components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martini (cocktail)</span> Cocktail made with gin and vermouth

The martini is a cocktail made with vodka and vermouth, and garnished with an olive and/or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A common variation, the gin martini, uses gin instead of vodka for the cocktail's base spirit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daiquiri</span> Cocktail

The daiquiri is a cocktail whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice, and sugar or other sweetener.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore sling</span> Cocktail with gin and cherry liqueur

The Singapore sling is a gin-based sling cocktail from Singapore. This long drink was developed in 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore. It was initially called the gin sling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Negroni</span> Cocktail made of gin, vermouth, and Campari

The negroni is a cocktail, made of equal parts gin, vermouth rosso, and Campari, generally served on the rocks, and commonly garnished with an orange slice or orange peel. It is considered an apéritif.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sour (cocktail)</span> Family of classic mixed drinks

A sour is a traditional family of mixed drinks. Sours belong to one of the old families of original cocktails and are described by Jerry Thomas in his 1862 book How to Mix Drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angostura bitters</span> Concentrated bitters made of water, alcohol, herbs and spices

Angostura bitters is a concentrated bitters based on gentian, herbs, and spices, produced by House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago. It is typically used for flavouring beverages, or less often, food. The bitters were first produced in the town of Angostura, hence the name, but do not contain angostura bark. The bottle is recognisable by its distinctive oversized label. Angostura is Spanish for "narrowing", the town of Angostura having been at the first narrowing of the Orinoco River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales (cocktail)</span>

The Prince of Wales is a cocktail created by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. There are several variations of the cocktail, but what they usually have in common is champagne, angostura bitters, sugar, either rye whiskey or cognac, and a liqueur.

Drink mixers are the non-alcoholic ingredients in mixed drinks and cocktails. Mixers dilute the drink, lowering the alcohol by volume in the drink. They change, enhance, or add new flavors to a drink. They may make the drink sweeter, more sour, or more savory. Some mixers change the texture or consistency of the drink, making it thicker or more watery. Drink mixers may also be used strictly for decorative purposes by changing the color or appearance of the drink. They also simply increase the volume of a drink, to make it last longer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amaretto sour</span> Cocktail drink

An amaretto sour is a cocktail using amaretto liqueur. It is a type of sour, a mixed drink made with a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener. The drink is the most popular cocktail use for amaretto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sling (drink)</span> Type of cocktail

A sling is a drink historically made with sugar, hot or cold water, nutmeg, and a spirit such as gin, whiskey, rum, or brandy. In its modern form, it is made with gin and, varyingly, of ingredients such as sweet vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, and soda water. The word sling comes from the German schlingen, meaning "to swallow fast".

The Blackthorn is an Irish whiskey or sloe gin based cocktail. Both versions emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskey cocktail</span> Variety of cocktails made with whiskey

A whiskey cocktail is a cocktail that includes whiskey. Although whiskey is often served neat or on the rocks, it is used in many classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Julep. Some specifically call for Scotch whisky or bourbon whiskey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airmail (cocktail)</span>

The Airmail or Air Mail is a classic cocktail based on rum, lime or lemon juice, honey, and sparkling wine. It was probably created during or shortly after the period of prohibition in the United States of America or on Cuba, i.e. in the 1920s or 1930s.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fleming, Amy (19 August 2014). "The science of mixing mind-blowing cocktails". the Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  2. 1 2 "The Bigot Who Wrote a Cocktail Bible". The Daily Beast. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  3. Telford, William (31 December 2018). "How to craft the perfect cocktails to welcome in 2019". Plymouth Herald . Retrieved 24 January 2020.