How to Mix Drinks or The Bon Vivant's Companion

Book excerpt: First published in 1862, this seminal work in bartending marks the first time many of today's classics were recorded in print. Collected here by Jerry Thomas—America's most famous bartender—are dozens of cocktail recipes, from old standards to mixes invented by Thomas himself, including his trademark drink, The Blue Blazer. Guides for mixing drinks of all categories—including sours, fizzes, and highballs—are included along with instructions on using various bartending tools, from jiggers to ponies and beyond. With a glossary to help all bon vivants remember their demijohns from their drachms, this is a nostalgic and delicious homage to a drinking era that is gone but not forgotten.