cover image Virgin Cocktails

Virgin Cocktails

Salvatore Calabrese. Sterling Publishing (NY), $9.95 (128pp) ISBN 978-1-4027-1247-0

Replete with 125 recipes, plus detailed explanations of fruit preparation, garnishes and mixing tools, this fun and readable volume is a big boon for the non-alcoholic cocktail-drinker. Award-winning bartender and prolific author Calabrese (Classic Cocktails, etc.) begins with a slightly silly introduction--he imagines drinking a virgin cocktail on a Virgin Island--but quickly settles down to the business of serving up recipes for mouth-watering drinks. Calabrese's recipes focus on fresh juices, like lime and mango, but his other""liquid essentials"" include coconut cream, fresh gingerroot, tabasco sauce, club soda, ginger ale and orgeat (almond syrup). The results range from sweet Coconut Sublimes and spicy Star Anise Cocktails to sharp Limeys and bitter Prairie Hens. Color photos.