The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks 
by Dale DeGroff 
Clarkson Potter | October 2008 | ISBN-10: 0307405737 | 272 pages | ePUB/PDF | 15.8/25.4 mb 
http://www.amazon.com/The-Essential-Cocktail-Mixing-Perfect/dp/0307405737

Dale DeGroff is widely regarded as the worldΓÇÖs foremost mixologist. Hailed by the New York Times as ΓÇ£single-handedly responsible for whatΓÇÖs been called the cocktail renaissance,ΓÇ¥ he earned this reputation during his twelve years at the fashionable Promenade Bar in New York CityΓÇÖs Rainbow Room. It was there in 1987 that he not only reintroduced the cocktail menu to the country but also began mixing drinks from scratch, using impeccably fresh ingredients instead of the widespread mixes used at the time. Known especially for crafting unique cocktails, reviving classics, and coaxing superior flavor from his ingredients, DeGroff has selected his 100 essential drinks and 100 of their best variationsΓÇöincluding many of his signature cocktailsΓÇöfor this premier mixology guide.
The Essential Cocktail features only those drinks that stand out for their flavor, interesting formula, or distinctive technique. These are the very ones every amateur and professional bartender must know, the martinis, sours, highballs, tropicals, punches, sweets, and classics, both old and new, that form the core of a connoisseurΓÇÖs repertoire. Throughout the book are DeGroffΓÇÖs personal twists, such as a tangy Grapefruit Julep or a refreshing Yuzu Gimlet.
To complement the tantalizing photographs of each essential cocktail, DeGroff also regales readers with the fascinating lore behind a drinkΓÇÖs genesis and instructs us on using the right ingredients, techniques, glasses, and garnishes. As Julia ChildΓÇÖs Mastering the Art of French Cooking was the classic compendium for home chefs and gourmands, so The Essential Cocktail will be the go-to book for serious mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts.