Cooking from Books: The Manhattan Cocktail

I have a hundred or more cookbooks. But just as importantly I have a dozen or so cocktail books. They are references when I want to make a classic and just can't remember the ratios. Or when I need inspiration with some of the bottles I have on hand.

And Dale Degroff's The Craft of the Cocktail is perfect for both purposes. He is old-school enough that he gives you the tried and true favorites like the martini, the daiquiri and sours.

But don't forget the recipes with asterisks. These are Dale Degroff creations like the Caribe Cosmopolitan (Bacardi stands in for vodka), the Gin and Sin, and the Salt-and-Pepper Highball (an amped up Salty Dog).

The resources (tools, brands, garnish and rimming techniques et al) are invaluable as well.

On a personal note, I had the chance to meet Dale at a seminar once and he was great. I had an Oscar party coming up and I asked him for the perfect classic cinema cocktail. He pointed me to the Flame of Love...a vodka martini in a glass coated with fino sherry and garnished with a flamed orange peel. Tres Hollywood.

Here's the classic Manhattan. Buy the book so you'll have the additional twists like the Red Manhattan, the Eastern Manhattan and the Maragato.

Manhattan

Makes one cocktail.

2 ounces blended or straight whiskey

1 ounce Italian sweet vermouth

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Cherry, for garnish

Pour all the ingredients over ice in a mixing glass and stir as you would a Martini. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry.

(Ed. note: And these are the kinds of bonus bits you get with this book...)

Variation: If you prefer a dry Manhattan, use dry vermouth and garnish with a lemon peel. A Manhattan made with brandy is called a Harvard and with applejack it's called a Star Cocktail.