Finding Mezcal
A Journey into the Liquid Soul of Mexico, with 40 Cocktails
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4.8 • 5 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
In this groundbreaking and deeply personal book, Ron Cooper—a leading voice in the artisanal mezcal movement, and the person largely responsible for popularizing the spirit in the United States—shares everything he knows about this storied, culturally rich, and now hugely in-demand spirit, along with 40 recipes.
In 1990, artist Ron Cooper was collaborating with craftspeople in Oaxaca, Mexico, when he found mezcal—or, as he likes to say, mezcal found him. This traditional spirit was virtually unknown in the United States at the time, and Cooper founded Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal in order to import it. Finding Mezcal recounts Cooper's love affair with the spirit and the people who make it; its meteoric rise in popularity; and the delicate balance between sharing mezcal with the world and facilitating its preservation. Each chapter introduces a new mezcal, its producer, and its place of origin, while also covering mezcal production methods and the botany of the maguey (aka agave) plant, from which mezcal is distilled. Featuring 40 recipes developed for Del Maguey by chefs and bartenders from around the world, the book is copiously illustrated with photographs, as well as Cooper's artwork and that of his friend Ken Price, who illustrated Del Maguey's now-iconic labels.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this entertaining book, Cooper, founder of Del Maguey mezcal, gives readers a look into the world of the smoky Mexican liquor. Cooper profiles various producers and describes the tough, labor-intensive work that goes into producing mezcal, which is made from the agave plant. Connoisseurs and new initiates will appreciate Cooper's insights into the nuances of mezcal varietals, such as Santo Domingo Albarradas ("a bright nose of citrus and pear"), Tepextate (made from leaves of high-altitude plants, the flavor is "delicate and ethereal"), and Tobala, which is prized for its herbaceousness and intense minerality. Cooper closes the book with 40 solid artisan cocktails, such as La Vida Buena, a riff on the Negroni; the Andr s y Cooper, a collaboration with chef Jose Andres that marries mezcal with sherry; the Call Ron Cooper, an ingenious mash-up of tequila and mezcal; and Naked and Famous by Joaqu n Sim of New York City's Pouring Ribbon, explaining that "using a big, funky mezcal like Chichicapa was the key to stand up to two complex liquors" Chartreuse and Aperol. Readers will find Cooper's work to be one of abiding love and an outstanding introduction to a unique, often overlooked spirit.
