The Cocktail Hour: A Drinker's Companion

The Cocktail Hour is a book not just of recipes but of the stories, feelings and memories that a particular drink evokes. Author Tim Hayward accidentally rediscovered the perfect harmony between a first-class ribeye steak and an ice-cold martini and ever since has been on an enthusiastic personal quest. The moment he started making himself the occasional sharpener, he realized that something strange was happening: he was falling in love with the ritual, He was drinking less, and more mindfully.

The Cocktail Hour teaches you how to make classic and modern drinks carefully, with good ingredients and the right equipment, taking you from work to relaxation in mere moments. From Gimlet to Gibson, Manhattan to Margarita, it offers a comprehensive and beautiful guide to the full appreciation of and participation in the Ritual of Cocktails. If you are not already a 'cocktail person' it will help to make you one; if you already are it will help you to celebrate it.