Founding editor of Serious Eats' drinks section, Maggie Hoffman knows a thing or two about building a home bar. In her book, The One Bottle Cocktail (Ten Speed Press, $22), she effectively tells you to stick to just that: One bottle, whether it be gin or bourbon or agave spirits. "None of these drinks require bitters, vermouth or liqueurs," she writes in her introduction. "There's no amaro, no aperitif wine, no absinthe. Just one bottle of booze -- which you might already have in your liquor cabinet or on your mantel -- and ingredients you can find at your favorite grocery store." Over the course of 80 cocktails, Hoffman shows you how to make complex, flavorful drinks with chef-y twists on common ingredients like maple syrup, honey, even vinegar. Not a bad skill if you don't have room for a full bar at home, or if you don't stray far from your gin-and-tonic routine.
Food on 07/18/2018