There are many people to thank, starting with the many bartenders whose paths I’ve crossed. I’m most grateful to those who have made unique contributions to this book. Their dedication to their craft helped guide me on a long and enjoyable journey into the art of the cocktail.
I’m not a bartender myself. My interest stems from a love of food and a love of communicating that love, which led to my blog Sippity Sup—Serious Fun Food. On its face, blogging seems a rather solitary activity. In fact, that’s one of the things that drew me to it. I often sit alone in my bathrobe and “work.” The cloistered aspect still appeals to me, but the more involved I get in blogging, the more I see how deeply communal it really is. So I need to thank the countless other bloggers who through example and shared passion taught me how to express myself in that very baffling medium called the blogosphere.
Another book and another big thank-you to my brother, Grant Henry, who collaborated on the wine pairings in my book Savory Pies. He lends his expertise again in this book, with an explanation on sherry and all its subtleties (see page 80).
Thanks also to the hardworking folks at Ulysses Press. Particularly Katherine Furman and Keith Riegert, who gave me the freedom I needed to develop this subject. In many ways Savory Cocktails breaks new ground, and I appreciate their patience as I mixed and re-mixed cocktails in the effort to define the genre for myself.
Lastly, my partner, Ken, is responsible for much of the look of this book. His impeccable taste and design sense helped me see this book in my mind so that it actually became possible to write it.