The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft Immediately

There are really a couple of subjects that this book covers:

- Recipes: lots of them with the author's own variations. Not all of the recipes I tried were great. It looks like Gary Regan is trying to provide an inclusive collection of recipes rather than a selection of the best ones. He even includes some that he doesn't care fir,

- Tips for professional bartenders: as a home mixologist I couldn't related to that.

- The standard info on how to and garnishes etc.

And finally, what I consider to be the hear of this guide:

A (for me at least) original, useful and very educational way of grouping cocktails into families. There are lots of tables and descriptions that explain the groupings. This was a real eye-opener for me because it really made it clear how good cocktails were constructed and why a margarita and a cosmopolitan are very, very similar. There are also some great sections that compare the density of various brands of liquors which is extremely helpful when making layered drinks.

All in all, this is not a perfect book but there is really a lot of original content that I've never seen anywhere else. If you like Alton Brown and a pseudo-scientific approach to cooking then you'll definitely enjoy Gary Regan's book.

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Living with Wine: Passionate Collectors, Sophisticated Cellars, and Other Rooms for Entertaining, Enjoying, and Imbibing Best Quality

This book offers the wine lover a voyeuristic peek into thirty of the most extravagant and spectacular wine cellars in the United States. One cannot help but marvel at the grandeur of some of these rooms and the impressive wine collections contained therein. The stories behind the passionate wine collectors and their distinctive cellars is told by James Beard Award-winning wine writer, Alice Feiring, in conjunction with noted interior design and architecture writer, Samantha Nestor. The color photography of Andrew French is stunning and amplified by the large size of this volume.

The book is divided into five parts: the Entertaining Pair's Lair, the Gentlemen's Haven, the Sybarite's Sanctuary, the Modernist Refuge, and Urban Retreats and Inspiring Spaces. The size of most of these cellars indicates the zeal with which wine connoisseurs will pursue their collection. While most of the featured cellars royally display 2,000 to 3,000 bottles, more than enough wine for most imbibers, one mind-boggling cellar houses 60,000 bottles of fine wine.

Most readers can only dream about having such lavish cellars for their beloved wine collections. The book does not give any estimates of the cost of designing and building these eye-popping wine cellars, but clearly these architectural marvels came at a considerable expense, in some cases exceeding the value of the wines resting inside.

This work is a coffee table book at heart that will please those who delight in marveling at what extremes collectors will go to in displaying their beloved wines. It will be particularly appealing to those who find admiration in the creative designs that the owners and artisans display in these distinctive wine cellars. The volume may even stimulate readers to embark on their own wine cellar project.Get more detail about Living with Wine: Passionate Collectors, Sophisticated Cellars, and Other Rooms for Entertaining, Enjoying, and Imbibing.

Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food Get it now!

One of the best pairing books ever written. Takes most of the mystery out of the food/wine pairing dilema. Another good one to look at is "What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine".Get more detail about Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food.

Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation Order Now

I was looking forward to getting some really good recipes from this books, which it does contain; however, it's full of legends and bologne that just waste space. He would've done better to leave out all that junk and just stick with the recipes! The book is way longer than it needed to be.Get more detail about Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers: The Secrets of Ancient Fermentation.

Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France Decide Now

As a wine enthusiast, Francophone and pseudo-foodie, I was eager to get an advance copy of Au Revoir to Food, Wine and the End of France. Because it was not a finished version, it was rife with typos and missing information, which made it hugely challenging to get through. However, you folks will be buying the final copy, so you won't be stymied by those issues.

However, the book is so heavily researched and full of specific tidbits of information that it gets bogged down in the details. I had a hard time keeping track of the many chefs Michael Steinberger interviewed and restaurants he visited. Too many facts, dates, names, etc. In one way, that information seems relevant and possibly necessary, but as I was reading this for my own edification and not a school assignment, I would have preferred less data. It does read somewhat like a textbook in many areas, and it is laborious to get through, typos or no.

When Steinberger instead tells anecdotes, gives his impressions of the chefs and other experts (quite a few probably won't speak to him again!), and shares their input on what's wrong with French cuisine (hint: mostly a bureaucratic government that seriously gets in the way, coupled with a society that's become too busy to appreciate good food), the book becomes far more readable and enjoyable. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of French cuisine: the history of French cuisine, the impact of the economy and the government's policies, the famed/dreaded Michelin Guide, the role of racism in the restaurant business, the wine and cheese industries, the threat from Spanish and other foreign cuisines, infamous chefs such as Paul Bocuse and Alain Ducasse, etc. No stone is left unturned, and it is a thorough treatise of the topic.

If you are a culinary professional or layperson with a deep interest in the topic, you would gain a lot from reading this book. If you are merely curious or just have an above-average interest, you are probably better off reading one of the many articles that resulted from Steinberger's book publicity tour (there's one on NPR's Web site). I do have a deeper appreciation of how tough French culinary artisans have it over there, and quite a bit more disdain for their government than before (and I am a serious Francophone who wants to live there), but I felt like this a real chore to get through and wouldn't necessarily recommend it.Get more detail about Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France.

Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition Right now

I'm about half way through the book and have to say this is a 200 page book that should have been covered in about 20 pages. I feel like I'm reading the same 3 pages over and over and over again. Last night while trying to read some more of the book, I started a new game. I will read a page and then flip back through the book to see how many places I can find either the exact paragraph I just read, or one ridiculously similar. Warning spoiler alert to follow: Lots of Malt, Low Hops, and secondary in a fridge for a few weeks.Get more detail about Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition.

Lowest Price The Instant Expert's Guide to Single Malt Scotch (2nd Edition)

This is a tiny book to begin with, so when around half of it is full of fairly useless and redundant information (drink recipes that have nothing to do with single malt) it leaves precious little space for valuable information.

The author's style is very dry, very factual, rather pedantic and completely lacking in personality or color. Which is not to take away from some rather valuable information in the first few chapter. However, reading this book is a lot like reading a legal contract - it contains facts and information, but it's hard to get excited or any pleasure from the process.

Drinking single malt is a source of great pleasure for me, but I don't get the sense that the author has the same experience. After a lot of dry and colorless detail of the scotch preparing process, he wanders off into details that have little or nothing to do with single malt.

For this slender a book - even if it was loaded with fascinating information and written with great style - a price point of $8.95 would still feel a bit high. But with around half the book being unrelated to the subject, it's value is significantly less. At under $5, I would have felt that I got my money's worth.

Hope this helps you make an informed decision.Get more detail about The Instant Expert's Guide to Single Malt Scotch (2nd Edition).

Low Price Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival

I bought this item for my husband at his request and he really, really likes it! Compared to other books on the market...he says this is a really good one.Get more detail about Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival.

Save More Smoothies for Life: Satisfy, Energize, and Heal Your Body

I bought these two items as a wedding gift for my brother and his fiance.
The items were reasonably priced and arrived at my house pretty quick. I was very pleased with that!
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Discount What Price Bordeaux?

A very well written and easy to follow book about one of the most difficult to understand wine producing regions in the world. Mr Lewin goes in depth into many of the forces that have shaped Bordeaux and its many diferent regions, wines, and styles. He explains with exquisite details the historical, cultural, political, financial, marketing and climatic elements, as well as the many paradoxes, that have contributed to make Bordeaux what it is today. Mr Lewin's book is well balanced, he writes about the positive aspects but is equally candid about the many scandals and ploys of the wine trade. He has done a wonderful job researching facts and the many graphics in the book are very clear and easy to follow. This is a book where the expert will learn many things unknown before, and the novice will acquire a universe of knowledge, not only about Bordeaux, but also about wine in general.Get more detail about What Price Bordeaux?.

Cheapest Sales and Service for the Wine Professional

A bit dull but it covers EVERYTHING you might want to know on the subject mater of Beverage service. Suplier was very easy to work with and the book came in great condition.Get more detail about Sales and Service for the Wine Professional.

Cheap The Imbible: Drinking Games for Times You'll Never Remember with Friends You'll Never Forget

Great gift for friends, not sure we would ever play all the games. But good fun.Get more detail about The Imbible: Drinking Games for Times You'll Never Remember with Friends You'll Never Forget.

Buy Coffee 2010 Wall Calendar: The World's Great Recipes, Stories and Histories

The photographs are absolutely beautiful, and I love the recipes included. You can smell the coffee just looking at it. This calendar is a must have for all coffee lovers.Get more detail about Coffee 2010 Wall Calendar: The World's Great Recipes, Stories and Histories.

Purchase Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine: The Complete Guide to Using Grasses to Revitalize Your Health

This book is loaded with information about wheatgrass, it's pioneers, wheatgrass retreats and more! Best of all, Steve Meyerowitz talks about how to grow and juice your own wheatgrass. It's a great resource for someone who it looking to learn about the health benefits of wheatgrass and read stories from real people who have used wheatgrass to treat ailments.

Jared Balis
[...]Get more detail about Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine: The Complete Guide to Using Grasses to Revitalize Your Health.

Order Scotland and Its Whiskies: The Great Whiskies and Their Landscapes

Great book! It is a great resource. The book was in excellent condition and arrived in a timely mannner.Get more detail about Scotland and Its Whiskies: The Great Whiskies and Their Landscapes.

Shop For How to Launch your Wine Career: Dream Jobs in America's Hottest Industry

How to Launch Your Wine Career is the first book written by industry professionals to consider developing and succeeding in a wine industry career, from marketing and production to vineyard management, wine writing, public relations and suppliers. Interviews with some of the industry's finest figures show how others 'made it' and explains job descriptions, skill requirements, careers, and job hunting. A 'must' for any business library or collection strong in wine industry guides.Get more detail about How to Launch your Wine Career: Dream Jobs in America's Hottest Industry.

The Beer Book

I got this book for my birthday last year and it's absolutely the best light reading beer book out there. Very fun book that you can look at and read again and again, and never get bored with it. Excellent pictures and paper quality. Love it. Get more detail about The Beer Book.

The Wheatgrass Book: How to Grow and Use Wheatgrass to Maximize Your Health and Vitality (Avery Health Guides) Top Quality

A must for the health-conscious! Will probably change your life for the better for ever...Get more detail about The Wheatgrass Book: How to Grow and Use Wheatgrass to Maximize Your Health and Vitality (Avery Health Guides).

Big Bad-Ass Book of Shots This instant

I have used this book countless times since getting it. There is a great variety of shots and shooters along with a great variety of ingredients. Highly recommended!!Get more detail about Big Bad-Ass Book of Shots.

When the Rivers Ran Red: An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America's Wine Country Immediately

What a great book. Easy to read. Insightful, accurate and at times, heartbreaking. This book shows that banning things generally results in bigger and worse problems in the system. Makes you think about our current bans on drugs and prostitution, most likely legalizing them will put a lot of dealers and politicians out of job, and would end our gang problems! God forbid!Get more detail about When the Rivers Ran Red: An Amazing Story of Courage and Triumph in America's Wine Country.