The Professional Bartender’s Handbook: A Recipe for Every Drink Known—Including Tricks and Games to Impress Your Guests
This new book is written for the professional bartender. A copy belongs behind every bar. Whether running a stand-alone business or one incorporated into a restaurant, hotel, or food service operation, the successful bartender needs product and equipment knowledge, and a strong grasp of mixology.
This new book is more than just a recipe guide, although it contains nearly 1,500 different cocktails and shooters. This new book is fun and easy to read, the recipes are in alphabetical order with suggested glassware, ingredients, and garnishes. You will learn tips and tricks, bar terminology, measurements, how to set up a bar, glassware, responsible serving issues, garnishes, bar games and tricks, famous toasts, and much more. And you will find a special section on non-alcoholic drinks. ISBN-10:0-910627-95-9 • ISBN-13:978-0-910627-95-5 • Item #PBH-01 • $21.95
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..So, you want to be a bartender. A noble profession, good tip money to be made in the right location, lots of friendly banter back and forth with customers, but what do you know about bartending? I thought so. In my view, you have several options. A. locate an establishment that’s open 24 hours a day (think gambling areas like Vegas) and sit on a bar stool nursing that 4th beer watching the bartender mix drinks lying to yourself: “I can do that.” B. attend a school for bartenders (see newspaper classified) or C. buy and read Valerie Mellema’s new book. Forget A, and know in advance, B will cost you an arm and leg and you most likely will be dumped in with 50 other people who wouldn’t know a hot toddy from a vodka gimlet, and in the end, the teacher will probably tell you to go to your nearest book store or Amazon.com and buy this book, and thanks for coming. He’s not stupid.
I’m a social drinker, but thanks to Valerie, my martini taste’s better and now I know how to make a stinger on the rocks. Who knew the drink was mostly brandy and white crème’ de menthe. She did and a lot more.
Anyone can open a can or bottle of beer, but can you put a nice foam on top of a draft beer from a tap? Can you mix a brandy concoction for the lady at the end of the bar wearing a big smile and a nice diamond ring? As a former bartender set-up boy at a Lake Tahoe Casino in my younger years, you can learn a lot from watching. You can also learn the bartending trade, reading this book and experimenting on your own. Everything you need is in this book. Liquors, foods, snacks, games to play while drinking and the opportunity to put your own “happy hour” together for friends with zero mistakes.
Valerie Mellema has nailed it to a “T”. Oops. Make that a “B as in bartending, so I’ll give her book a star rating of 3.5 out of 5. (5 being best)
Tony Evans is a retired author of several books and speaks from authority now that he has read this book and is capable of mixing a Stinger on the rocks.
Comment by Tony Evans — December 13, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
The Professional Bartender’s Handbook is an easy-to-use book for anyone. If you’re stocking your own bar there are lists of what and how much to buy (including alcohol, mixers, and extras), what tools to have on hand (types of glasses, spoons, strainers—who knew?). There’s even a chapter on really starting a bar—from business plan through OSHA regs and promotions.
As for recipes, the book has 1500 of them, from A Bat and a Ball to Zuma Buma, with a separate section for non-alcoholic drinks. Over 200 pages filled with recipes! None are indexed, only alphabetized, so if you’re looking for various martinis—from apple to vodka, you could be skimming pages for awhile.
The book starts with the basics about liquor, like the difference between Haitian and Jamaican rum, how wines should be served, etc., There’s even a chapter on drinking games and toasts—what more could you want? Everything you need to be a fantastic bartender is right here.
5 stars, definitely
Comment by V Kalambakal — December 26, 2007 @ 4:06 pm
The Professional Bartender’s Handbook functions like a manual. The handbook is steeped with how and where different types of liquors and alcohols are made to how and where they should be stored to how they should be served and enjoyed. The handbook also offers recipes for 1,500 drinks—from the familiar and the frequently asked for to the exotic and the unusual. These recipes are great for a beginning bartender and for anyone desiring inspiration for cocktails for a dinner party. Also offered are helpful games to keep the momentum and excitement of a night going. Lastly, bartenders offer accounts of the pros and cons of being the star with flair. The Professional Bartender’s Handbook makes one thirsty, to say the least, and is a helpful tool to those looking for non-sober sophistication. Five Stars.
By Debra Wolf
Comment by Debra Wolf — January 29, 2008 @ 2:21 pm
If you ever wanted to start a bar, this book is for you! The Professional Bartender’s Handbook covers everything you need to know from what type of bar do you want, how to manage a bar, how to stock it, and drink recipes (non-alcoholic also). The highlight of the book is the section on case studies from bartenders who tell us the best and worst things about being a bartender. With 1500 drink recipes, this makes a great present for pretty much anyone who drinks! Cheers!
Comment by Kim Potter — February 1, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
Fancy calling yourself a mixologist? The Professional Bartenders Handbook can qualify you. Covering a vast amount of information from writing a basic business plan for your own bar to employment rules and tied house pitfalls and regulations it will educate a teetotaler to entertain with confidence and provide a handy reference for seasoned bartenders.
Valerie Mellema draws from a wide variety of experts but she is also writing this handbook from personal experience – she definitely understands the complexity of running a bar. It is not a question of simply mixing a requested drink. A lot goes on behind the scenes and this book will give you a good idea of how far you will want to take your love of cocktails.
Many interesting anecdotes are woven through the text and the recommendation tables are practical (now you will never need to wonder what and how much to buy for your party) It takes stock of changing times by advising you to allow space for ladies to bring their drinks to the bathroom and will tell you exactly which questions you need to ask when you are looking into state regulations. Although the 1500 drinks are listed by name you can cross reference your favorite ingredients through the index.
I’m not sure I agree with the fact that champagne shouldn’t pop in a bar and I was also really let down when it didn’t tell me what to do when a customer rejects the wine!
SO - It isn’t the only book you will ever need I you decide to follow your dreams and open a bar – but it will certainly make you consider the idea. If you need a fantastically comprehensive recipe book to impress your guests and revive a tired routine - buy this book.
4 Stars
Comment by Suzie Jones — February 5, 2008 @ 1:59 pm
From Alien Love Juice to the classic Manhattan, the Professional Bartender’s Handbook by Valerie Mallema, is quite complete, not only in its collection of 1,500 drink recipes but in its sheer amount of useful advice in all things pertaining to running a successful bar.
Mallema offers her readers an indepth, but straight-forward, look into the bar business, whether that be in opening a bar or club or in setting up the at-home bar. It’s a great read for both the beginning bartender and the entrepreneur.
Useful information abounds when it comes to the different types of beers, liquors and wines, pairing wine with food, using bartending tools, slicing fruit and pouring an accurate shot. There’s information on how much liquor to buy for a party to how to determine profits when purchasing an alcohol establishment. Entrepreneurs can get a good idea of what it will take to open their dream bar, from choosing a theme and furnishings to financing and researching liquor and labor laws.
And, with a section on drinking games and toasting suggestions, the Professional Bartender’s Handbook is way more than just a collection of recipes.
5 stars
Comment by debsreviews — February 18, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
Ever wonder what the difference is between Irish whiskey and Scotch whiskey or a lambic and a lager? Or whether that bottle of tequila is still drinkable? Do you know what V.S.O.P. stands for? Want to brush up on your skills as a sommelier? Whether throwing a fantastic party or tending bar professionally, this is an indispensable reference to keep on hand.
Ms. Mellema provides a rundown on setting up a bar complete with lists of how much and what kinds of alcohol and accoutrements to buy, and offers tips on management including how to obtain a liquor license and the different types of insurance policies the prospective bar owner is likely to encounter. But the real meat of the book is the nearly comprehensive listing of drink recipes. While I do have to take off points because there’s no recipe for a mojito (there is a recipe for caipirinhas, though), I was really impressed with how many off-the-beaten-path drinks are included. I ran several of the more difficult drink requests past my favorite local bartender and they weren’t even in her book!
But although I’ve discovered several new drinks I love and learned a few new toasts, my favorite part of this book is definitely the final chapter in which bartenders talk about their favorite (and most hated) things about their profession. I have a lot more sympathy for bartenders now, and I won’t be ordering frozen drinks anymore!
Comment by Rita Friedman — March 17, 2008 @ 3:03 pm