Cocktail Hacker

A few months ago I received a review copy of Maria Hunt’s new book The Bubbly Bar.  Unlike most cocktail books, this one centers entirely on Champagne based cocktails.  The book starts, as it should, with the classics.  Some I’ve featured already (eg The Champagne Cocktail and the French 75) and some I have not (look for the Bellini and the Kir Royale later this week).  After the classics are laid down Maria goes on to cover more recent creations.  Amongst these are  riffs on other cocktails (like the Aperol Flip and Ruby Red Sangria) and original cocktail creations (like the Violet Fizz, which I’m going to mix up later this week, and the Cucumber Cooler which I’ve listed below).

The recipes are straight forward, using fairly common ingredients for the most part.  Another definite high point is that Maria put some effort in to making the drinks balanced.  Which, in a world where a lot of restaurant creations are much too sweet, is very welcome.  In addition to the well thought out recipes, the photographs are also quite stunning.  Overall, the book is well done and worth checking out if you’re looking for some new ways to enjoy an old classic.

Cucumber Cooler (The Bubbly Bar)

6 Thin Slices of Cucumber
1/2 oz Vodka
Juice of 1/2 Lime
3/4 oz Agave Nectar
5 oz Dry Sparkling Sake
1 Cube of Cucumber

1) Muddle vodka and cucumber in a rocks glass
2) Add lemon juice and agave nectar
3) Stir to mix thoroughly
4) Fill glass 3/4 full with ice
5) Top with sparkling sake
6) Garnish with a cucumber cube

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† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

Santa came extra early this year folks! Shortly after we launched the site my Aunt Ronnie ordered a boat load of cocktail books from Harper Collins. They all arrived yesterday!  As a result the Cocktail Hacker library has increased exponentially.

Here’s the list of books that Ronnie got for us:

The Ultimate Party Drink Book – Bruce Weinstein
The Bartender’s Bible – Gary Regan
Cocktails: An Indispensable Guide For the Budding Mixologist – Jeremy Harwood
Beer – Eve Adamson
champagne – Don and Petie Kladstrup
Shaken not Stirred -  Anistatia R. Miller and Jared M. Brown
In the Land of Cocktails – TI Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan
The Complete Book of Spirits – Anthony Dias Blue
The Complete Book of Mixed Drinks – Anthony Dias Blue

I’m really looking forward to reading each of these and we’ll be posting reviews/highlights as we do.  Thanks so much Ronnie!