The Craft Cocktail Party

Book excerpt: A Craft Cocktail book for the rest of us by the top female mixologist in the country. Julie Reiner, the co-owner of The Clover Club in Brooklyn and The Flatiron Lounge in Manhattan, has written a book that provides inspiration for the rest of us, not only the cocktail geeks. She wants to balance the needs of the everyday drinker with those of the passionate mixologist. Recipes are organized around seasonality and occasion, with different events and themes appropriate to the specific time of the year. Each section will include a mixture of holiday-inspired drinks, classic cocktails, and innovative new drinks, all along with fun cocktail lore. Tricks, tips, and techniques -- such as batching and infusions, tools of the trade, notes on spirit types, and easy substitutions to utilize what you already have on hand -- will round out the amazing amount of information in Reiner's book.