"Left Coast Libations" Details West Coast Cocktails
Booze from the West Coast makes its mark
Irreverent blogger and spirits writer Ted Munat might be an East Coast native, but his heart (and drinking preferences) lean entirely left.
In the new book Left Coast Libations, Munat and co-author Michael Lazar have created a textual treasure map of West Coast cocktail dens, marking spots from Vancouver to Los Angeles.
The book addresses this noteworthy cocktail climate by paying due diligence to the cognoscenti that are responsible for the region's boozy ascent: Portland's Jeffrey Morgenthaler, San Francisco's Neyah White and Seattle's Murray Stenson are just a few that make an appearance on the pages.
The 100-plus recipes go further to explore this coastal zeitgeist in a collection that ranges from classic cocktails to seasonally driven drinks. Some recipes call for homemade ingredients (like smoked ice or orgeat syrup), while others require only a quick trip to the store–or your own liquor cabinet.
Start by setting your watch to Pacific Standard time, then mix Portland bartender Kelley Swenson's Toto, made with tequila, green Chartreuse and Cynar (click here to download the recipe).