The PDT Cocktail Book

The PDT Cocktail Book presents the cocktail recipes and techniques from New York City's PDT (Please Don't Tell) bar. Author Jim Meehan, the bar's co-founder, provides instructions for over 300 drinks served at the establishment. The book combines classic cocktail recipes with PDT's original creations, including detailed specifications for ingredients, proportions, and preparation methods. Each recipe includes background information on the drink's origins and development. The text goes beyond recipes to cover professional bartending fundamentals, including sections on tools, techniques, and spirits knowledge. Illustrations by Chris Gall appear throughout the book, depicting drinks and bar equipment. This work serves as both a practical manual and a document of craft cocktail culture in the early 21st century. The book captures a moment when traditional bartending methods merged with contemporary ingredients and sensibilities.

Readers praise the detailed recipes, historical context, and professional techniques shared from the renowned PDT bar. The photography and illustrations receive frequent mention for their artistic quality and clarity in demonstrating techniques. Bartenders appreciate the specificity of measurements and ingredients, with many citing it as their go-to reference. Multiple reviews note the book helps recreate PDT's exact drinks at home. Common criticisms include: - Hard-to-source specialty ingredients - Some recipes require extensive prep work - Heavy focus on spirits that may be difficult to find - Book binding quality issues reported by several readers Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.34/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,300+ ratings) "This book taught me more about proper cocktail construction than any other resource," notes one bartender review on Amazon. A recurring complaint on Goodreads states "Beautiful book but many recipes aren't practical for home bars without spending hundreds on obscure liqueurs."

Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald, and Alex Day This reference book provides recipes and techniques from Death & Co, a New York cocktail institution with influence parallel to PDT.

The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique by Jeffrey Morgenthaler The book breaks down bartending into fundamental techniques with step-by-step instructions and detailed methodology for cocktail creation.

Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold This guide explores the science of cocktail making with explanations of ice, temperature, carbonation, and other technical aspects of mixology.

The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan The system of categorizing cocktails by families helps readers understand drink relationships and create variations on classic recipes.

Imbibe! by David Wondrich This historical examination of cocktails through the lens of Jerry Thomas provides context for the modern craft cocktail movement.

🍸 PDT (Please Don't Tell) is a legendary speakeasy-style bar in New York City, accessed through a vintage phone booth inside a hot dog restaurant 🌟 Author Jim Meehan won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2012 and was named one of the "40 Under 40" most influential people in food by Food & Wine magazine 📖 The book contains recipes for every single cocktail served at PDT from its opening in 2007 through the book's publication in 2011 - over 300 drinks in total 🥃 Each recipe in the book includes detailed specifications about preferred brands of spirits, marking the first time a cocktail book had been so specific about product recommendations ✍️ The book features intricate illustrations by Chris Gall, who created unique artwork for every cocktail recipe, making it both a practical guide and a collector's piece