The Classic Cocktail Sessions - by Toby Maloney & Emma Janzen (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A convivial master class in classic cocktails from the James Beard Award-winning authors of The Bartender's Manifesto

Classic cocktails are the ABCs of the craft of mixology. Drinks like the Daiquiri, Old Fashioned, and Negroni are timeless, universally beloved, and versatile. A perfect Margarita or Manhattan will never go out of style. When made with good technique and the occasional creative flourish, these drinks transform from everyday staples to supernovas of deliciousness. Anybody can learn to mix killer versions of these storied cocktails with aplomb, but as every bartender knows, getting really good at it takes a bit of practice. There are a few dozen ways to make a great Martini, and a million ways to mess one up.

In The Classic Cocktail Sessions, you'll learn how to make these classic recipes with confidence. Bartender Toby Maloney has honed his approach to these drinks for decades, and here, he and co-author Emma Janzen invite you to join them behind the bar for a "session" with each cocktail--a captivating, in-depth tutorial on how to create good balance, texture, aroma, and temperature, how different brands of ingredients impact the outcome of a drink, and how to personalize the classic formulas with subtle adjustments and twists. There is no one right way to make an Espresso Martini or a Mai Tai--but with this book's guidance, you'll learn how to make the version that speaks to you. With Maloney's signature wit and wisdom front and center, plus a dynamic design and Janzen's transportive photography, this is one of the most lively and compelling additions to the canon of classic cocktail books in years.

About the Author

Toby Maloney is a James Beard Award-winning bartender and author with about thirty five years of experience mixing drinks in an assortment of establishments from dive bars to hallowed cocktail havens like Milk & Honey, Flatiron Lounge, and Pegu Club, as well as spots in Nashville, Minneapolis, and beyond. He was a partner and cocktail touchstone at The Violet Hour in Chicago for 18 years, and can now be found overseeing the cocktail program at The Elbow Room in Vancouver, Washington. In 2022, he wrote The Bartender's Manifesto with word assassin Emma Janzen.

Emma Janzen is an intrepid traveler and drinks journalist with a photography problem. She is the author of Mezcal: The History, Craft & Cocktails of the World's Ultimate Artisanal Spirit and co-author of three James Beard Award-winning books: The Way of the Cocktail with Julia Momosé, The Bartender's Manifesto with Toby Maloney, and The Bartender's Pantry with Jim Meehan. She currently splits her time between home in the Midwest and the world's coolest barstools.