Launch Day & a Rave Review. What more could a gal ask for?
While I haven’t downed a shot since the occasional Kamikazes of my college days, The Architecture of a Shot is sure to change that. With clear directions, quirky facts, and Melissa Wood’s detailed drawings, this book is the ideal hostess gift or adult stocking stuffer. I’m already planning a Tapas and Mini Cocktail Party as a welcome counterpoint to the bigger-is-better mentality that is finally abating as we move to de-clutter our overfilled schedules and overstuffed homes. Paul Knorr’s historical, often humorous, tidbits (the B-52 is a shot “named after a band that was named after a hairdo that was named after an aircraft”) and practical tips to avoid setting the bar on fire when preparing a flaming shot provide the blueprint for impressive and entertaining drinks, to say the least. These shots range from the crass (Sloe Comfortable Screw) to the whimsical (P B and J), the classic (Fuzzy Navel, Boilermaker) to the festive (Santa, Candy Corn)—to the even more obscure and inventive (Fifty-Seven Chevy, Crouching Tiger). Though a few shots sport less-than-appealing names (Antifreeze? Windex?) others challenge (Mind Eraser) and tantalize (Silk Panties). Along with The Architecture of a Cocktail, this is a must-have for any adventuresome drinker/entertainer. With 75 recipes for shots that will provide gustatory and aesthetic pleasure for years, this lovely book may even inspire us to invent our own mini-cocktails as they become all the rage.
By Denise A. Foster on August 8, 2015
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