The other day, I was out at Rabbit Hole Distillery and saw this book. Death & Co. is a well-respected bar in New York City (and other locations) and I picked it up to look at it. It intrigued me so I purchased it. I am glad I did. It has many interesting cocktails that I look forward to trying.
Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails, David Kaplan and Nick Fauchald, New York, Ten Speed Press, 2014. Introduction, Contents, Appendices, Index, Illustrated, 299 pp.
This book is an attractive cocktail book written by David Kaplan, a co-owner of Death and Co. with Nick Fauchald, the creative director for New York’s Happy Cooking Hospitality Group. They have amassed a large number of cocktail recipes that they have divided into categories by the spirit used to make the cocktail. There are many other useful bits in the book. They have a lexicon of terms used so even the novice will understand what to do when making a cocktail. They placed a chart at the end of the book with a conversion of measurements for those using the metric system. There is a useful section on tasting and evaluating spirits.
The book is well illustrated with a lot of color photographs of the cocktails, done by photographer William Hereford. There are also illustrations of some of the patrons at Death & Co. by artist Tim Tomkinson.
The Manhattan variation called “Daisy Buchanan” looks particularly interesting. It is 2 ounces Chamomile infused Old Overholt (recipe provided), ¾ ounce of Dolin Dry Vermouth, ½ ounce Aperol, ¼ ounce Yellow Chartreuse. Stir over ice and strain into a coupe. No Garnish. I tried it and it was very tasty.I am glad to add this book to my spirit library. Whether I want to mix a drink with Bourbon, Gin or Brandy, I can easily find an interesting recipe for an appropriate cocktail. The directions are easy to follow. I look forward to trying many of the cocktails.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller
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