To our mind, one of the best cocktail books to be published late last year was The Art Of Mixing.
Now, yes, this is published by Fever Tree (you know, the guys who probably make the Tonic Water you’re drinking right now) but it is not, as you might expect, simply a promotional exercise.
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Sure, all the recipes do utilise their products, but we’re looking at a powerhouse of 125 long drinks and cocktails, that have been created and mixed by bartenders from all over the world.
What’s not to like …
The thing we really like about this book is that they have arrange it differently. Most cocktail books have spirits playing the leading role, but here they have elevated the humble mixer and made it the star.
When you go through the contents, you aren’t looking at Vodka recipes or Whiskey Cocktails, you are instead looking at sections that embrace their Aromatic, Mediterranean, Elderflower and Lemon Tonics, as well as their Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer, Soda Water & Madagascan Cola.
With recipes created for the brand by some of the best bars and mixologists from around the world (including Tales Of The Cocktail 2016 winner, Angel Teta), this book will never leave you short of ideas.
Starting over a decade ago, with the simple premise “If three quarters of your Gin & Tonic is the Tonic, make sure you use the best”, Fever Tree have created an enviable stable. In addition to six different Tonic Waters (to suit different types of Gin), they also produce three Ginger Ales, two Ginger Beers, a Lemonade, a Soda Water and they have just released a Cola to work with Rum and dark spirits.
And sales have been soaring. In the UK (where they are based) Fever Tree registered an exceptional growth of 113%. And we don’t imagine this recent publication will do them any harm, as it clearly shows that mixers can produce more than just a simple G&T.
The book is arranged into very simple sections – Quinine (using their Indian Tonic Water and their Naturally Light Tonic Water), Ginger (which explores their Ginger Ale and their Ginger Beer range), Fruits and Flowers (using their Elderflower Tonic, their Sicilian Lemon Tonic and their Sicilian Lemonade) and finally Herbs and Spices (where their Madagascan Cola and their Aromatic Tonic and Mediterranean Tonic come into play).
With the inclusion of information about equipment and techniques, this book works on all levels but importantly, is easy for beginners, as the recipes are simply but amazingly flavoursome and well worth the effort.
To give you an idea, we have selected seven recipes (all from the Fruits and Flowers section and all using the Elderflower Tonic) to show how useful and versatile this book can be.
Fever Tree: The Art Of Mixing can be found at Amazon
