Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails, with More than 500 Recipes

by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald, Alex Day

Overview

The definitive guide to the contemporary craft cocktail movement, from one of the highest-profile, most critically lauded, and influential bars in the world.
 
Death & Co is the most important, influential, and oft-imitated bar to emerge from the contemporary craft cocktail movement. Since its opening in 2006, Death & Co has been a must-visit destination for serious drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts, and the winner of every major industry award—including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best Cocktail Menu at the Tales of the Cocktail convention. Boasting a supremely talented and creative bar staff—the best in the industry—Death & Co is also the birthplace of some of the modern era’s most iconic drinks, such as the Oaxaca Old-Fashioned, Naked and Famous, and the Conference. 

Destined to become a definitive reference on craft cocktails, Death & Co features more than 500 of the bar’s most innovative and sought-after cocktails. But more than just a collection of recipes, Death & Co is also a complete cocktail education, with information on the theory and philosophy of drink making, a complete guide to buying and using spirits, and step-by-step instructions for mastering key bartending techniques. Filled with beautiful, evocative photography; illustrative charts and infographics; and colorful essays about the characters who fill the bar each night; Death & Co—like its namesake bar—is bold, elegant, and setting the pace for mixologists around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607745259
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	14,095
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

DAVID KAPLAN is the founder and owner of Death & Co, a New York City nightlife destination, as well as the co-owner of Proprietors LLC, a full-service hospitality company, with ALEX DAY.

NICK FAUCHALD is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and publisher of print and digital products. He's been an editor at Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, and Every Day with Rachael Ray magazines. From 2008 to 2011, he was the editor-in-chief of Tasting Table.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

HOW TO READ & ENJOY THIS BOOK

A NIGHT AT DEATH & CO

BUILDING A BAR

BUILDING A DRINK

CREATING NEW CLASSICS

THE SPECS

APPENDICES

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INDEX

Editorial Reviews

One of the most influential bars in America has come out with a book of cocktails…just as brilliant as the place itself…The recipes are well organized and will appeal to everyone.

The New York Times Book Review - Max Watman

05/19/2014
Kaplan and his staff only had a few days to get their sea legs after their New York City craft cocktail bar Death & Co opened on New Year’s Day, 2007. A few days later, they found themselves on the front page of the Sunday New York Times. Here, Kaplan, his cohorts, and regulars, show why Death & Co is frequently named one of the best cocktail bars in the world. Over the course of the book’s dense (but highly readable) pages, he shares his infectious enthusiasm for his craft as well as recipes for almost 500 cocktails. Everything from choosing the right ingredients and tools—even the ice—is covered, ensuring readers are well-stocked and well-prepared. Those expecting the ultimate collection of cocktail recipes will be disappointed, but those with a palate for experimentation will have a field day with symphonic recipes for classics, from the Corpse Reviver #2, Mojito, and Rusty Nail to originals like the Joy Division, a riff on the classic gin martini with Cointreau and absinthe; and then there’s the Stolen Huffy, a spicy combination of Thai chile-infused rye, mescal, sweet vermouth and curaçao. A perfect book for amateur and advanced mixologists alike. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

This is a book that will inspire the next generation of bartenders. The Death & Co crew has managed to mix equal measures of hospitality and creativity, and the impact of their experiment will be felt far beyond their modest East Sixth Street saloon. This book extends Death & Co’s reach even farther.”—Dale Degroff, author of The Craft of the Cocktail 

“Death & Co changed the way we drink in America. This elegant, intelligent book—with drink recipes from the ‘Dirty Dozen’ of top bartender/mixologists working in America today (all Death & Co veterans), plus sound, concise advice on every aspect of drink making—will make sure that nobody could possibly forget that.”—David Wondrich, author of Imbibe! and Punch 

 “Death & Co has become an integral part of New York’s cocktail culture, and will remain a part of it for years to come. David and Alex have influenced the way people drink in New York City (and around the world), and I’m constantly inspired whenever I step into their bar. They craft each drink just as I would approach a dish, piecing together the ingredients, testing it tirelessly, striving for perfection, and also trying to connect each recipe to a story. There is a real art, a real passion behind everything they do, and this book will act as a timeless reference for anyone interested in cocktails.”—Daniel Humm, chef/co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and Co-Author of I Love New York 

“A fascinating, in-depth look at one of the best bars out there—brimming with the same attitude and resolve that made Death & Co a true winner in the field. This book is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in cocktails and the bars that serve them, and it’s a brilliant read, to boot.”—Gaz Regan, author of the Joy of Mixology

“With Death & Co, David, Nick, and Alex have created an instant classic for craft cocktail enthusiasts and professionals alike. I’ve found this book to be essential in my home.”—April Bloomfield, chef/owner of The Spotted Pig

From the Publisher

★ 06/15/2014
A jewel-box of a bar on Manhattan's Lower East Side, Death & Co was a pioneer of the cocktail renaissance when it opened in 2007, but a latecomer to producing a tie-in book. This imposing tome, which could double as a tray for a round of Manhattans, is no hasty attempt to cash in on a brand's success. It's both intimate and authoritative, reflecting the deep-seated love for the bar shared by founder Kaplan, ex-bartender and co-owner Alex Day, and veteran food-and-drink writer Nick Fauchald—which is reflected in portraits of regulars and their favorite drinks, as well as pages revealing a night in the life of the bar. But although the book celebrates the cocktail bar scene, it is equally dedicated to teaching and encouraging home bartenders. There's a clear, unpretentious spirits primer for those who have been bluffing their way through in-vogue varieties of rum, tequila, and whiskey; other sections tackle bitters, ice, glassware, and additional details without dictating. More than half the book is devoted to 450-plus recipes for classics, variations, and riffs, making this comprehensive enough to elbow aside its barfly competitors. VERDICT Sophisticated and inviting, this should be the definitive guide for the cocktail-curious.—Joanna Scutts, Astoria, NY

Library Journal