I
like vodka. But vodka has been mercilessly
maligned; it's a tasteless odorless spirit, right? It’s just a backwoods cousin to other spirits and
only decent when paired with chemical-laden additives like Red Bull, or orange
juice or whatever other crap you may have lying around. Uh, wrong! (And for you college kids out
there, pull up your pants, get
serious about vodka, and quit whining about your future). Vodka can be alluring,
smooth, and packed with flavor elements better suited to other spirits. So when
the book Vodka Distilled came out by
master cocktail guy Tony Abou-Ganim
I thought, finally, someone else loves vodka like I do. Tony writes: “For
reasons that largely escape me it has become vogue in some bartending corners
to bash vodka. Despite the widely held view to the contrary, all vodkas are not
the same. Think about tasting and comparing one vodka to another, not as
comparing apples and oranges, but akin to comparing apples to apples…apples of
the same variety grown in different orchards…” And here I slightly disagree,
yes the banality of mass produced vodka
is terrorizing to the palate, but I have discovered a world of subtle
nuances and tastes with artisanal vodka.
Tony's book celebrates vodka in all its diversity; corn, wheat, and potato
iterations. You'll find a wealth of information and recipes about creating the
best vodka-based cocktails and what to look for so you don’t waste your time
and money. There’s even a round up of 58 vodkas (including Boyd & Blair – one of my personal favorites) in the back with
thorough tasting notes. This is a terrific book by a guy who knows his spirits
and I’m thrilled to recommend it.
Vodka Distilled: The
Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails – published by Agate
Publishing, $22.95 hardback. 208 pages, color photos.
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