New Under the Sun?

Understanding Cocktails concept has been in progress, off and on for about 2 years. Admittedly more off than on and one can be lured into a false sense of originality. For heaven’s sake! It’s drinks and drinking we are talking about – everyone has an opinion – especially online. So imagine the rude awenking to discover The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. Sure it’s been out of print for a while but it looks as though it’s being reprinted.

From what I’ve learned from the Wikipedia entry is that the author David Embury sets out some basic principles for a cocktail. These lessons must have been passed on by cocktail revivalists of the 90s-00s because it has certainly informed the thinking about what one should be looking for in a cocktail.

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

* It should be made from good-quality, high-proof liquors.
* It should whet rather than dull the appetite. Thus, it should never be sweet or syrupy, or contain too much fruit juice, egg or cream.
* It should be dry, with sufficient alcoholic flavor, yet smooth and pleasing to the palate.
* It should be pleasing to the eye.
* It should be well-iced.

Having said that. We are still looking to find a cocktail appreciation guide rather than a reciepe book. Hopefully when the reprint becomes available this can be verified. Until then, excuse our lack of research. The library awaits.