Cocktails, Cocktails & More Cocktails

Given that there are about 100 recipes in this handy beginner’s guide, the title is perhaps a tad overenthusiastic. The author, though, is apparently not to blame as Imagine’s list also includes such works as Cookies, Cookies & More Cookies, and Cupcakes, Cupcakes & More Cupcakes. Thompson seems an international man of mystery, described as a brand manager for a large yet unnamed Israeli winery and a consultant for numerous yet unnamed bars and restaurants. He also “completed a course at the Absolut Akademi in Sweden, and is qualified to train bartenders worldwide.” His style is relaxed and conversational as he provides the basics for potent potables both well-known and wild. An odd first chapter of mixed drinks offers such obscure libations as a brandy daisy and a sherry cobbler alongside old favorites like eggnog and the whisky sour. Champagne cocktails get their own chapter, which includes a Russian spring punch made with muddled raspberries, while other chapters handle two liquors at a time (“Vodka & Gin,” “Tequila & Rum,” “Brandy & Whisky”). There is a tribute to the classic dry martini as well as recipes for eight flavored variations including melon, cucumber, and a lovingly photographed watermelon and basil. And for a nightcap, there’s a grasshopper with sleep-inducing heavy cream, crème de menthe, and crème de cacao. (Oct.)