The most thrilling moment in Ben Reed’s bartending career came when actress Kathleen Turner looked him in the eye and ordered a perfect Manhattan.
“I would have married her on the spot,” Reed says, “if she would have me. I love a woman who knows how to order a proper drink.”
Indeed. Proper mixing is his business and the subject of his sixth book, “The Art of the Cocktail.” Think of the book as a start-to-finish anthology of any drink for any occasion, with colorful pictures to boot.
Reed, 32, has been bartending around the globe for 14 years (the drinking age in London is 18), mixing drinks for a remarkably diverse constituency in cities such as Hong Kong; Cape Town, South Africa; and London. He wrote a popular column, Barfly, for the London Times magazine and also had a brief TV stint as star of the BBC show, “Shaker Maker.” Now he is one of six partners at IPBartenders, a consultancy firm based in London for bar owners, alcohol brands and event planners.
At a recent cocktail demonstration at Sur La Table in San Francisco to promote the book, Reed took a few minutes to talk about the art–yes, it is an art–of the cocktail.
What is the best skill for a bartender to have?
Understanding what people really want.
Is there any alcohol that will never touch your lips?
I have plenty that won’t touch my lips, but none that I wouldn’t serve. I take that back. I won’t serve the Flaming Lamborghini. It’s basically a five-shot drink, and it obliterates people.
So you have a problem with intoxicated people?
I have no problem with people getting drunk, as long as they enjoy doing it. It’s not about quickly getting from point A to point B. It’s about the journey.
What is the most overrated trendy drink right now?
The Cosmo. It’s not necessarily overrated, it’s just so often badly made.
Can you predict the next trendy drink?
I would say topping drinks off with champagne. The great thing about champagne is that you can use a dry, French champagne or you can have it sweet. That way you can balance your drinks.
What is your go-to cocktail?
A daiquiri. I love rum of all types. It’s a shame, it seems America has lost its love for rum.
What is the sexiest drink in the world?
The Bellini. Serve it in an elegant champagne glass with pureed peach and peach bitters. Garnish it with a peach. You are going to get that cheeky tickle from the bubbles.
Are martinis here to stay?
Yes. They will evolve and evolve and evolve.
Who was your most disappointing celebrity to serve?
Puff Daddy. He was boring as hell. He was sprawled out on the sofa looking very aggressive and not very friendly at all. It might have been because the night before I asked him if white was the new black. He was decked out in a white fur coat, a white hat and a white bandanna.
What did he order?
I made him a champagne cocktail. It was a ridiculously bling cocktail. He didn’t care what it tasted like.
On a date, your dream girl would order what?
If she ordered a perfect Manhattan or a dirty martini or a Gibson, I would love her forever.
Cocktail recipes
Simple syrup
– Makes 1 cup
– 1/2 cup sugar
– 1/2 cup water
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat, stir and let cool. Keep covered and refrigerated for up to two weeks. If crystals form, bring to a boil before using.
Appletini
– 1 1/2 parts vodka
– 1 part Sour Apple Schnapps
– Splash of sweet-and-sour mix
– Apple
Mix in a shaker half-filled with ice. Pour into a chilled martini glass.
To garnish: Quarter the apple using a paring knife. Carefully cut the apple to create thin V-shaped slices. Fan together and place on the edge of the glass.
Fruits of the forest
– Fresh berries including strawberries, raspberries and blackberries
– Dash of simple syrup (see recipe above)
– Squeeze of lime juice
– 1 part vodka
– Edible flowers (pansies or roses)
Muddle the berries in a mixing glass. Add a dash of simple syrup, lime juice and vodka and shake sharply. Double strain into a chilled martini glass.
To garnish: Rim the glass before straining with simple syrup and dip onto a plate of finely chopped flowers.
Magnificent melon
– 1 1/2 parts vodka
– 1 part melon liqueur
– Splash of pineapple juice
– Pineapple leaves, watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe
Mix vodka, melon liqueur and pineapple juice in a shaker half-filled with ice. Pour into a chilled martini glass.
To garnish: Overlap three long pineapple leaves and place into glass. Spear large watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe balls and place over the leaves.
Vine wine
– 1 bunch of small red grapes
– 1 part pinot noir
– Dash of simple syrup (see recipe above)
– 1 1/2 parts vodka
Muddle six red grapes in a mixing glass. Add the wine, simple syrup and vodka. Shake sharply over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
To garnish: Drape grapes over the side of the glass.–KRT.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Victoria Rodriguez (vrodriguez@tribune.com)
