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What are your favorite bartenders books? |
thegreenman
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 73
From: 10.8 miles west of the Mai Kai
|  Posted: 2006-12-28 3:10 pm Permalink
Aside from the obvious masterworks of Tikiage from the Beachbum, what other bartenders guides or recipe books do you think are tikiworthy?
I just ordered the Harvard Student Agencies book on recommendation of a friend. Give me your faves.
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TikiJosh
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 01, 2005
Posts: 735 | Posted: 2006-12-28 3:26 pm Permalink
I would have to recommend the Trader Vic's bartender's guide. It sort of goes without saying, but if you're compiling a list, this is a must-have.
I've got the tiki drinks book by Jennifer Thompson. It's okay, and the drinks are alright.
Around the World in 80 drinks by Adam Rocke, it's a SHAG book, and has a nice recipe for a drink called an Alpine Storm-- pineapple juice, brandy, vermouth and creme de menthe. It's a good drink, and one of my favorite things for winter.
The Tiki Drink Deck is good fun. The drinks are about the same quality as the ones in the Around the World book. You won't find the original Trader Vic's Mai Tai recipe, but you'll find some other interesting things to try. I imagine this one would be most fun for the "draw a card out of the deck and drink whatever it is" opportunity during a party. That would require a pretty well stocked bar, though, so be forewarned.
I've also got the Batender's Black Book from Beverages and More. I forget who wrote it, but you can find the book on the BevMo website. It's got a lot of recipes which is nice, not strictly tiki. It does have a recipe for a Mai Tai that is pretty close to the original, but not quite there. The Singapore Sling recipe is nothing like the one the Beachbum has, so I haven't been brave enough to try it. There's a lot of other recipes in there, if you're interested in making those kinds of things. But it's probably nothing you wouldn't be able to find on the internet cocktail database. Washington apples, that type of thing.
I've only tried several of the drinks from these different sources, and probably double that number from the Beachbum Berry books. It goes without saying that the Beachbm Berry stuff is the best. The others are good, and I've been pretty pleased with the various recipes. I'd skip the others to have a book by the Bum, but if you're looking for more recipes, then these other books might be a good start.
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thegreenman
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 73
From: 10.8 miles west of the Mai Kai
| Posted: 2006-12-28 3:38 pm Permalink
Thanks Josh,
I'm interested in more than just a list of recipes, I like the historical aspects, and also the commentary and musings on bar-life and attitude. Pretty pictures are always good too.
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Haole'akamai
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 07, 2005
Posts: 2269
From: The Polynesian Port of NOLA
| Posted: 2006-12-28 4:18 pm Permalink
I really like The Gentleman's Companion, Volume II (Guide to Exotic Drinks) by C. H. Baker. It's got fabulous stories that go along with the drink recipes.
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TikiJosh
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 01, 2005
Posts: 735 | Posted: 2006-12-28 5:13 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-12-28 15:38, thegreenman wrote:
Thanks Josh,
I'm interested in more than just a list of recipes, I like the historical aspects, and also the commentary and musings on bar-life and attitude. Pretty pictures are always good too.
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The Trader Vics books, not just the bartending guide, are excellent reading then. The book of food and drink is just as enjoyable.
I've got a Don the Beachcomber book, I believe it might even still be in print. It's got some pictures, and a little "official" history of Don's, and is pretty fun. It's just wirebound, and the drink recipes seem better than the typical stuff.
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Chip and Andy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 13, 2004
Posts: 2078
From: Corner table, Molokai Lounge, Mai-Kai.
| Posted: 2007-01-01 11:42 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-12-28 15:10, thegreenman wrote:
... Give me your faves.
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Not exactly Tikiworthy, but one of my favorites:
Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. Has an interesting bit about each of the drinks and includes the 'Original' Zombie recipe a'la Donn Beach.
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foamy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 15, 2004
Posts: 585
From: The Land of Pleasant Living
| Posted: 2007-01-02 06:32 am Permalink
[/quote]
Not exactly Tikiworthy, but one of my favorites:
Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. Has an interesting bit about each of the drinks and includes the 'Original' Zombie recipe a'la Donn Beach.
[/quote]
I second Chip 'n Andy's recommendation. A good read, nice photos and great recipes.
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[ This Message was edited by: foamy 2007-01-02 06:33 ]
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khan_tiki_mon
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 15, 2006
Posts: 254
From: Syracuse, NY
| Posted: 2007-01-02 06:42 am Permalink
For an interesting book with a historical insight I would recommend "Playboy's Host & Bar Book" by Thomas Mario. You need the original; I think the first printing might have been in 1955? Or maybe the copyright is for articles that appeared in Playboy from the '50s. There are over 800 drink recipes but it's way more than a recipe book. Offers a window into that time period. Has articles on glassware, stocking a bar, basic mixology, and then gets into party planning, ideas for themed parties (including an urban luau), and chapters on 'the code of conviviality' or a discourse on party manners for the host at home. When I was a young man I had fantasies of myself in a dinner jacket with ascot surrounded by a bevy of buxom and beautiful babes as the life of the party. What a hoot! Youth is wasted on the young. I would think you could find a copy at a used bookstore or on e-Bay.
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croe67
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 05, 2003
Posts: 1011
From: Land of Cheese & Beer
| Posted: 2007-01-02 07:10 am Permalink
Our most used are the Beachbum books, by far & the original Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide (1947) is also a great resource to have. For more of the cultural piece, a book called "Hawaiian Pupu Party Planner" by Muriel Kamada Miura is a real hoot & one I have actually used for ideas & recipes. The intro says that Muriel was the Home Economics Director for The Gas Company of Hawaii. She walks you through pineapple "art" - how to make a pineapple basket, a bird of paradise bowl, or carve a "luau style" pineapple. Lots of pupu recipies, how to hula, how to make leis, ideas for "unusual punch bowls", and more ways to cut up fruit & vegis as garnishes for your pupu platters than I ever could have imagined. Not a ton of drink recipies, but those that are in there are decent (e.g., a Tropical Itch made with Lemon Hart, a decent MaiTai, a hawaiian bloody mary (?)). Also a good recipe for Hawaiian Punch (not the canned stuff!!) that is good with RUM - our addition...  . Probably also available via EBay or used book stores.
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khan_tiki_mon
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 15, 2006
Posts: 254
From: Syracuse, NY
| Posted: 2007-01-02 07:33 am Permalink
"Hawaiian Pupu Party Planner" by Muriel Kamada Miura sounds great. I just bought a copy from Amazon. They had 3 used copies from their 3rd party sellers. I got one there are 2 left. I love cutting pinapple. Can't wait to see this. Thanks!
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croe67
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 05, 2003
Posts: 1011
From: Land of Cheese & Beer
| Posted: 2007-01-02 07:44 am Permalink
Yeah - the pineapple cutting ideas are really fun - I have done all of the ones in the book & people are always amazed to see what can be done with a pineapple - Enjoy!! It would be fun to come up with some new ones, too - hmmmmm......
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TikiPirate
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 03, 2007
Posts: 15
From: Baltimore, MD
| Posted: 2007-01-03 2:50 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-12-28 16:18, Haole'akamai wrote:
I really like The Gentleman's Companion, Volume II (Guide to Exotic Drinks) by C. H. Baker. It's got fabulous stories that go along with the drink recipes.
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I like the books Adam Rocke has done, with illustrations by Shag.
Decent books for Tiki Drinks & appetizers.
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thegreenman
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 73
From: 10.8 miles west of the Mai Kai
| Posted: 2007-01-07 4:08 pm Permalink
Hey everyone thanks for all the great tips.
I like the idea of that Playboy book as a piece of nostalgia alone.
Happy new year to all.
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5085
From: Sin City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2007-01-20 5:12 pm Permalink
Just bought the Playboy book. I have collected cocktail books over the years. I want to show them off as art but also be able to access them for use in my lounge. I do have a low wall on one side of the room and was thinking of building magazine-holder style shelves along the whole wall, could probably have an upper and lower shelf. Just wonder how some of you have yours displayed? 
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Tikiwahine
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Posts: 3288
From: Ontario, Canada
| Posted: 2007-01-20 5:32 pm Permalink
Along with the Trader Vic's Guides and the essential Beachbum Berry tomes, I recommend the Mai Tai Exotic Cocktail Guide available for only $5 from the Montreal Tiki Appreciation Society. Get one here
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