Recipe Book Review: Sips and Apps
Lemon Meringe Puff
Are you planning a party in the near future? Do you want to find some interesting cocktail and appetizer recipes so you can prepare unique treats for your guests? If so, Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers by celebrity chef and mixologist Kathy Casey is a must-read addition to your kitchen cookbook collection.
More than just a cookbook, Sips & Apps contains a great deal of interesting information and tips. For example, when you read this book you'll find out what you need to have on hand to have a well stocked contemporary bar, including the types of liquor, bar equipment, and glassware that every home bar should have.
Additionally, you'll learn about the best ways to incorporate fruits, vegetables, herbs, to the concoctions you whip up for yourself and for your friends and other guests. You'll also find out about the most creative ways to garnish the cocktails you create. Other cocktail preparation tips you'll find in Sips and Apps include useful facts about bar measurements, do's and don'ts for mixing and straining cocktails, and information on the best way to pre-mix cocktail recipes prior to a big event.
Sips & Apps is packed with dozens of recipes for cocktails and appetizers (more than 100!), so you're sure to find instructions for preparing several drinks and food items that will be a hit at your next social gathering. The first recipe in the book is the most basic recipe for even an amateur mixologist to master – instructions for preparing simple syrup, which is the base for many sweet cocktails.
Examples of Cocktail Recipes
A few of the creative ideas for tasty cocktails that you'll find in Sips & Apps are:
- Coconut Cake Colada Shot – A tropical mixture of coconut flavored rum, vanilla vodka, and pineapple juice
- Lemon Meringue Puff – A lovely cocktail reminiscent of an actual lemon meringue pie, made with lemon juice, simple syrup, Tuaca, and citrus vodka (pictured)
- Rocapulco Red – An updated tequila sunrise made with orange and pomegranate juices, tequila, and lime
- Strawberry Shag – A delicious mixture of vodka, strawberries, basil, lemon juice, ad soda water
- Many additional cocktail recipes, including a selection of non-alcoholic beverages
Examples of Appetizer Recipes
While there are more cocktail recipes in Sips & Apps than there are appetizer recipes, there are a number of terrific party food ideas in the book. A selection of what you'll find includes:
- Chipotle Deviled Eggs
- Creamy White Bean Dip with Garlic and Rosemary
- Creole Crab Cupcakes
- Fennel-Roasted Walnuts
- Orange Pistachio Cocktail Cookies
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Several other tasty appetizer ideas