Seattle Bartenders Represent in Gin-Specific Cocktail Book

It's never too early in the day to launch in with some much-needed booze news.

Seattle, and particularly Capitol Hill, is a place where we value our bartenders. We know them by name, get excited when they're featured in magazines, and make sure to stop by when they're guests at new and different watering holes. We monitor their movements like sports fans watch drafts. And we get real stoked when we see their name in actual print.

All the Gin Joints: New Spins on Gin from America's Best Bars, by Michael Turback, is a new collection of original cocktail recipes, developed by some of the most forward-thinking folks to regularly hold a shaker in America today--and Seattle is well represented. With appearances from Andrew Friedman of Liberty and Jermaine Whitead and Aleko Lilly of Barrio, this little black book is a must-have for Puget Sound gin fans.

The book also includes some American bartending history, as well as a few explanations for why barkeeps do the things they do.

Here's a sample recipe (though not from a Seattle author) to let you know what to expect:

Gin Essentia

Ingredients:
2 ounces gin
1 ounce herb-infused honey*
1 ounce blackberry syrup**
1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 drops Angostura bitters
2 sprigs thyme, for garnish

Method:
Combine gin, honey, blackberry syrup, lemon juice, and bitters with ice in a shaker. Shake vigorously and double strain into a pre-chilled

Even if you've never muddled a lime in your life, All the Gin Joints is fully prepared to help you figure out the tools and techniques to get a fine cocktail at home--as well as a few pointers for adding a little panache to your presentation.

It may still be a little early for your lazy self to start thinking of holiday shopping, but if you know a tippler who's a fan of the juniper juice, it might not be a terrible idea to keep this book in the back of your mind.