Magic in a Shaker: A Year of Spirited Libations

by Marvin Allen, Ann Benoit

Overview

"A must-read for anyone from beginner to practiced bartender. Marvin has made a serious study over the decades of what makes taste buds sit up and take notice."
-Joe Fee, Fee Brothers Bitters

"Great bartenders in America are appreciated. In New Orleans, they are revered, and no one is more so than the Carousel's Marvin Allen. His deft touch in creating a historically proper and balanced cocktail is a joy to behold and to taste. This volume is a reflection of his love for his craft and his city. Party on! Where are the go-cups?"
-Tim McNally, host of The Wine Show, wine and spirits editor of New Orleans Magazine

Swizzle your way from January to December with this indispensable introduction to the world of cocktails. Each month, experiment with a new spirit as you create fresh, well-balanced drinks. Included are the basics of equipment, ingredients, and techniques, as well as snippets of lore and suggestions for exploring new recipes and variations. Veteran crafters and budding enthusiasts alike will delight in these concoctions, which range from classics like the Sidecar and the Ultimate Classic Gin Martini to daring twists like Satan's Whiskers or the absinthe-based Monkey Gland. Discover tastes old and new in this clear, conversational guide to mixing your own magic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455619894
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	07/07/2014
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 5.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Marvin J. Allen is the bar manager and bartender at the Hotel Monteleone's Carousel Bar. Voted New Orleans Magazine's Bartender of the Year in 2005, Allen has been behind the counter for more than twenty years. A member of the United States Bartenders' Guild, he is a USBG certified spirits professional. Allen's emphasis on classic ingredients and fresh tastes has earned him several honors: his Southern Comfortini won second place in the Tales of the Cocktail© contest in 2003, and in 2004 his Blushing Southern Belle earned honorable mention in the same competition. Allen also placed in the 2010 42 Below Vodka competition with his Peanut Butter and Jelly Martini. A recipient of the 2010 City Business Culinary Connoisseur award, Allen has been an "adopted native" of New Orleans, Louisiana, for more than twenty-five years.

Ann Benoit lives, loves, photographs, writes, and most importantly eats in New Orleans. A full-time book packager with an expertise in culinary books, she zealously pursues her second career of food photography and food writing. She is a member of the American Culinary Federation, the International Association of Culinary Professionals Food Photographers and Stylists, and the James Beard Foundation. Retired assistant attorney general for the State of Louisiana and former chief of the Antitrust and Business Litigation section of the Louisiana Department of Justice, she is the retired executive director of the Plaquemines Community CARE Center and retired chief of the Family Law division of the Pro Bono Project of New Orleans. She is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, Southeastern Louisiana University, and Mount Carmel Academy.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 The Beginning 13

Chapter 2 Bitters 31

Chapter 3 Liqueurs 39

Chapter 4 January: Sparkling Cocktails 43

Chapter 5 February: Rum and Valentine Cocktails 55

Chapter 6 March: Coffee and "Saint" Cocktails 71

Chapter 7 April: Brandy I Cognac Cocktails 83

Chapter 8 May: Tequila Cocktails 95

Chapter 9 June: New Orleans Cocktails 111

Chapter 10 July: Pisco Cocktails 123

Chapter 11 August: The Art of Muddling 133

Chapter 12 September: Gin, Vodka, and the Art of the Martini 143

Chapter 13 October: Absinthe, the Misunderstood Spirit 175

Chapter 14 November: Whiskey Cocktails 183

Chapter 15 December: Holiday Cocktails 201

Further Reading 219

Index 221