Cocktail Chemistry: The Art and Science of Drinks from Iconic TV Shows and Movies

An amateur bartender brings the concoctions of his popular YouTube channel to print in this playful collection of quaffs inspired by those shown on the small and big screens. Spanning pop culture in no discernible pattern, Fisher recreates and offers his own sequels to cocktails with cameo roles in shows and movies including The Mandalorian, Mad Men, and The Big Lebowski. Sometimes, the original seems dubiously appetizing, as with the “one of everything” invented on The Office, with its mix of absinthe, rum, and Splenda; Fisher’s variation, a classic Long Island iced tea, is delicious by comparison. Other times, ingredients may not even exist in nature: when a “pan galactic gargle blaster” from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy calls for “Fallian marsh gas,” Fisher substitutes nitrous oxide while providing a lesson in the culinary technique of rapid infusion. The Simpsons, meanwhile, holds a place of honor with four entries, including the lager and candy concoction, “Skittlebrau,” which serves as a lead-in to some less gnarly beer cocktails. Scientific amusements along the way include a process for making perfectly clear ice, and a trick for perking up a cocktail by pouring it through a filter full of ground coffee. Home mixologists seeking a literal taste of their favorite entertainments will want to tune in. (May)