The Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to know to be a Master Bartender, with 500 Recipes
(2002)

There are countless tomes of varying quality on the subject of the mixological arts, but few approach the level of authority of this volume. The Craft of the Cocktail is not just a recipe book, though as the name implies it contains a hefty number of them--definitive versions of the classics, as well modern classics and a few of Dale's own creations. Published in 2002, Dale’s book reflects his decades of experience behind the bar and his thirst (bad pun) for cocktail history. The recipes are interwoven with historical background and personal annecdotes (I should point out, as Dale does, that much of the so-called history of cocktails, at least the very early history, is suspicious at best and possibly mythological at worst. There are a lot of "most likely scenarios" but not a lot of cold hard facts. We are, after all, dealing with a subject that does not lend itself to sober record-keeping.)

The liner notes proclaim that Dale’s book is “Destined to become the bible of the bar.” I would say that this is true, except for the fact that there are so many people with bad taste out there. I mean, Dale’s book should become the bible of the bar, and I wish that it would become the bible of the bar. I don’t think it ever will though, because people are already so tragically familiar with Old Mr. Blah-ston that I would be surprised if he could be kicked off of his tired red, black and gold throne, no matter how much he deserves it.

The book consists of three parts. The first is a history of the cocktail, which includes my favorite part of that history, the RETURN to the classic cocktail, the period which we are thankfully in at this moment. The bulk of the first part of the book lays out the techniques, supplies, and ingredients involved in the classic cocktalian craft. We bought our copy of this book at a used book store, and the previous owner took it so seriously (though apparently not enough to not sell it) that he or she highlighted the pages as if it were a textbook! (Which for us it is, in a way). The middle part of the book is the recipes, which are arranged alphabetically, with some drinks being located under their broader category (ie Fizzes, Martinis). The recipe section includes all of the major classic cocktails, as well as a number of the specialty drinks DeGroff has created over the years in his roll as cocktail consultant for bars and spirits producers. The recipes are interwoven with tidbits of cocktail lore, both historical and personal, which serve to differentiate this book from those that function primarily as recipe aggregators. The last part of the book contains resources, measurements, and other information useful to the practicing bartender or the enthusiastic student.

Although we have many dozens of books on this subject, I can fairly say that this is one of those "If you had to pick just one book..." books. In other words, the best. There are other books that explore different elements of mixology in different or more elaborate ways, but this one is the MVP. (Some books, such as The Art of the Bar, are works of art in themselves) DeGroff's manual serves up history without being bogged down by it; it has a substantial number of recipes without being unmanageable; DeGroff writes with an air of authority but not with one of pretension; and the book features an in-depth section on technique and terminology for beginners, while still being functional to more advanced users. I have purchased most of the major books on mixology, anything I have been reasonably able to get my hands on, with a range published over 100 years, and this Half Price Books treasure is my favorite of them all. Though we had bought a number of cocktail books prior to finding this one, it was the discovery of this book a couple of years ago that set us irretrievably down the path of cocktail obsession.