The Bar Chef: A Modern Approach to Cocktails

Vanilla-and-hickory smoked Manhattan, anybody? BarChef is a mixed drink relax on Queen Street West in Toronto. Committed to the workmanship and study of the mixed drink, its magnificence lies in the hues and subtleties behind the bar—from pharmacist containers loaded up with sharp flavoring and syrups to chime containers and 100-pound squares of ice. Proprietor Frankie Solarik holds court in his fedora, chipping ice, conversing with supporters (a blend of rockers, fashionable people, finance managers, local people and VIPs) and making the most of his specialty completely.

Solarik is a main figure of the worldwide mixed drink renaissance. His book, The Bar Chef, investigates the significance of connecting all the faculties while making innovator mixed drinks. Profundity and equalization—the thoughts behind incredible wines, and extraordinary food and wine pairings—are crucial to a glorious beverage. Parts detail the components of the set-up, the workmanship and art of mixology and, obviously, incorporate plans for syrups, mixtures, sharp flavoring and the mixed drinks themselves. A section for non-mixed beverages balances the book.

This book is focused on brave mixologists, fans who need to sharpen their abilities and taste, and who need to encounter something of Solarik's virtuoso at home. This book is neither far reaching nor "general." Rather, it is a cautiously curated inspecting of Solarik's manifestations, including plans that are testing yet feasible, and very heavenly.

About the Author

Winner of many mixology competitions, Frankie Solarik has been credited with being the pioneer of the barchef movement in Canada. His complex flavour compositions, involving precise techniques, have won him international acclaim. He has appeared on the Food Network, BNN and CBC, and he has been written about in such publications as Toronto Life, Toronto Star and the National Post.

If you're passionate about having a great bar and serving great cocktails, this is a fantastic book! I went into this knowing that I would be making bitters that would take 3 months to complete. I decided to go all in and make all of the bitters and several of the infusion recipes in the book. In one more month, I will have an incredible bar set up. I bought amber glass bottles with droppers and all the essential ingredients for the bitters on Amazon. The truffle snow and coconut foam recipe with the st. germain cocktail was AMAZING! I had a question about measurements for the bitters, called Barchef in Toronto and they were fantastic, taking about 10 minutes to walk me through the process. If you're passionate about having a well stocked bar and serving great cocktails, this is a great book! Once the bitters are ready, they are huge quantities and will last indefinitely so you are set for the long haul. --Maureen L.

This is one of my favorite cocktail books. It was one of the first books that I found that gave you all the recipes for everything they use including bitters. There are some fairly complicated recipes contained inside, but there are plenty of simpler drinks as well. The bitters, syrups and infusion recipes might just be worth it even without the cocktail recipes. If you are very new to making cocktails at home, this might not be the first book you should buy, but it should be in your top 3. --Kevin R.