The Yellow and Black is, if nothing else, a very reliable brand -- they get smart people with expertise to write their books, and unlike some of their competition they don't seem to put quite as much effort into woo (even if there is an Astrology for Dummies book). Bartending for Dummies is by now in its third edition, and it keeps the standard up.
Ray Foley may not quite be the Charlie Papazian of mixologists, but he's certainly one of the most influential in the field, being the editor of Bartender Magazine and the writer of numerous cocktail collections, and therefore an obvious choice for the book. His writeup of the ingredients is half the book (far more than you'll find in a more professionally-oriented book) and unlike a lot of other bartending guides, Foley doesn't shy away from risque drink names (like, for esample, the Red Headed Slut or the Adios, Mother... yeah.), which is pretty important when a lot of younger bar culture from GenX down is quite freewheeling and unselfconscious about its hedonism.
The only thing that knocks a star off the top is the fact that it isn't quite professional; that may be unavoidable, though, as the familiar cover design, for better or for worse, screams "amateur at work", so the average bartender is not going to have a copy of this next to the cash register like she might Mr. Boston or the The Bartenders Black Book. (But hey, if you need it around your workplace, a simple black book cover should solve the problem quickly.) It's hard to say a book in its third edition is really hip, but it's up-to-date enough for most people's needs.Get more detail about Bartending For Dummies (For Dummies (Cooking)).
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