The Four Seasons Book of Cocktails

November 1, 2010

A good bartender can be hard to find, but with DuBose's help almost anyone can become an expert mixologist at home. He here updates his 2004 The Ultimate Bartender's Guide: 1000 Fabulous Recipes from the Four Seasons Restaurant with all new recipes from the exclusive New York restaurant. There are recipes for all types of liquor and spirits, as well as different versions of the ever-favorite margaritas, daiquiris, martinis, and others. You'll decide how creative you want to be--if you want to make a Headless Jockey, this is the place to look. There are also recipes for the more common Gin and Tonic and 7 and 7 as well as nonalcoholic drinks, punches, spiked soft drinks, and frozen and hot drinks, along with good descriptions of different types of wine. DuBose helps you plan your home bar by listing essential equipment, appropriate glassware, mixers, and garnishes. VERDICT This comprehensive book with good illustrations and clear instructions should be a big hit.--Elizabeth Rogers, CEF Lib. Syst., Plattsburgh, NY

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2010
This compendium, which originated in DuBoses Ultimate Bartenders Guide (2003), provides brisk overviews of the standard need-to-knows: stocking the home bar, mixing the perfect drink, and deciphering the labels of exotic liqueurs. And, within its sensible organization (classified by main ingredient), it offers a well-selected blend of standard cocktails, intriguing variations, and inventions of Four Seasons bartenders Greg Connolly, Charles Corpion, and John Varriano. But, just as much of the glamour of this famous New York restaurant comes from its stunning setting, with rooms designed by Philip Johnson in a building designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the designers of this book enhance its offerings by giving it a suitably elegant housing. Within the handsome bronze-hued cover, elegant photos and artwork create genuine browsing appeal (just look at the Chandelier and youll want to drink one), while succinct sidebars offer tasty morsels of information about the drinks and the establishment. Neither too small for the coffee table, nor too large for the bar.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)