Cocktails, A Still Life
This is exactly what it sounds like: instead of photos or illustrations, this cocktail book is fully illustrated with oil paintings. Featuring an all-star team, Cocktails, A Still Life is less of a bartending guide and more of a presentation piece attracting the eye, mind, and palate focused squarely on the art-including the dozens of luscious, hand-painted images. As they say, "We drink first with our eyes." Contemporary still-life master Todd Casey has collected 60 paintings for 60 classic drink recipes, developed by Drinkology author James Waller, that are then paired with witty and imminently readable behind-the-bar anecdotes and histories by beverage historian Christine Sismondo. Broken down into sections, inspired by times and events that call for a cocktail, the book includes art, recipes, and history. Drinks include:
Part One: Daytime Drinking
* Belgian Beers
* Bellini
* Bloody Mary
* Mojito
* Ramos Gin Fizz
Part Two: Aperitivo Hour
* Aperol Spritz
* Daiquiri
* Gimlet
* Gin & Tonic
* Sgroppino
Part Three: Cocktail Party
* Cosmopolitan
* Long Island Iced Tea
* Mai Tai
* Negroni
* Vieux Carré
Part Four: Celebration
* Egg Nog
* French 75
* Margarita
* Mezcal and Sangrita
* Mint Julep
Part Five: After Dinner/Nightcap
* Boulevardier
* Brandy Alexander
* Grasshopper
* Irish Coffee
* Sake
Both a sophisticated gift and a useful cocktail-making guide, Cocktails, A Still Life is not just for "cocktail nerds" but also for those who enjoy finely crafted art and finely crafted beverages.
Todd M. Casey is the author of The Art of Still Life: A Contemporary Guide to Classical Techniques, Composition, Drawing, and Painting in Oil. A Massachusetts native, Todd studied at art schools in Boston and San Francisco before embarking on the classical artistic education offered by Jacob Collins's famed Water Street Atelier in New York City. A modern master of the still-life genre, Casey teaches at several institutions, including the Art Students League of New York. He is represented by Rehs Contemporary Galleries, Inc., New York, and his paintings are held in numerous private collections worldwide. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York's Hudson Valley.
Christine Sismondo has been writing about wine, spirits, cocktails, and other topics, ranging from fine art to social history, for the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, Maclean's, and other publications for twenty years. Her journalism has earned her a Canadian National Magazine Award. Although she holds a doctorate in history from York University, she prefers to work on popular and crossover projects for a wider audience. Christine lives in Toronto.
James Waller is the author of the "Drinkology" series of books published by Harry N. Abrams. The series' first volume, Drinkology: The Art and Science of the Cocktail, has sold more than 80,000 copies-including many sales through non-book retailers. James lives in Baltimore, Maryland.