Over the course of the past two decades, Tony Abou-Ganim has earned his reputation as one of the leaders of the craft cocktail movement. Through his work with food and hospitality legends like Mario Batali, Steve Wynn, and Harry Denton, Abou-Ganim has earned his reputation as "the Modern Mixologist," someone bringing the traditional art of mixology into the 21st century for the benefit of new generations. On the heels of the success of The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails, Tony Abou-Ganim has written Vodka Distilled as a companion piece focusing entirely on this clear spirit. It is a comprehensive look at the vodka marketplace, geared toward those working in the profession as well as the giant audience of vodka drinkers. This one-of-a-kind resource establishs a new standard in defining and understanding the world's most consumed spirit. Vodka Distilled appeal to both enthusiasts and aficionados by explaining how traditional-style vodkas—those produced in Eastern Europe—differ in character from those made in the West, and how different raw materials and distillation and filtration methods contribute to these variations in character. By breaking down the characteristics of each highlighted vodka, Abou-Ganim helps readers better understand, appreciate, and enjoy this noble spirit.

It began as poisonous rotgut in Medieval Russia—Ivan the Terrible liked it, Peter the Great loved it—but this grain alcohol “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color” has become our uncontested king of spirits. Over a th

If we are what we eat, then this book reveals deep truths about the average American (not to mention more mundane truths like a surprising number of people enjoy onions, and for most people, mayonnaise is very, very difficult to spell). Milk, Eggs, Vodka is a celebration of the humble grocery list. Almost anyone will find themselves engrossed in this voyeuristic look into everyday life—less than healthy lists, lists for parties, lists with personal and often odd annotations on them...and the list of lists goes on. Besides over 150 found lists, the book also includes short essays on collecting, shopping, eating, and list making. Some of the lists will even include recipes that can be made from the ingredients on the list!

Russia is famous for its vodka, and its culture of extreme intoxication. But just as vodka is central to the lives of many Russians, it is also central to understanding Russian history and politics. In Vodka Politics, Mark Lawrence Schrad argues that debilitating societal alcoholism is not hard-wired into Russians' genetic code, but rather their autocratic political system, which has long wielded vodka as a tool of statecraft. Through a series of historical investigations stretching from Ivan the Terrible through Vladimir Putin, Vodka Politics presents the secret history of the Russian state itself-a history that is drenched in liquor. Scrutinizing (rather than dismissing) the role of alcohol in Russian politics yields a more nuanced understanding of Russian history itself: from palace intrigues under the tsars to the drunken antics of Soviet and post-Soviet leadership, vodka is there in abundance. Beyond vivid anecdotes, Schrad scours original documents and archival evidence to answer provocative historical questions. How have Russia's rulers used alcohol to solidify their autocratic rule? What role did alcohol play in tsarist coups? Was Nicholas II's ill-fated prohibition a catalyst for the Bolshevik Revolution? Could the Soviet Union have become a world power without liquor? How did vodka politics contribute to the collapse of both communism and public health in the 1990s? How can the Kremlin overcome vodka's hurdles to produce greater social well-being, prosperity, and democracy into the future? Viewing Russian history through the bottom of the vodka bottle helps us to understand why the "liquor question" remains important to Russian high politics even today-almost a century after the issue had been put to bed in most every other modern state. Indeed, recognizing and confronting vodka's devastating political legacies may be the greatest political challenge for this generation of Russia's leadership, as well as the next.

A New York Times bestseller, Absolut Book is the behind-the-scenes account of the birth and growth of this award-winning campaign and provides a definitive illustrated history of one of the most successful ad campaigns ever. It is a collector's delight with nearly five hundred ads.

Faith and Wisniewski issue a guide to the frozen spirit of the north, containing chapters on the history of vodka, how it is made, how it is marketed, how to cook with it and a full list of brands, this is a comprehensive guide to vodka.

With formidable scholarship and considerable dry wit, William Pokhlebkin, one of Russia's best-known historians sets out on the detective trail. His aim: to reveal the strange truth about his country's most famous tipple. The result is a triumph of historical deduction.

Do you know your Moscow Mule from your White Russian? Your Stoli from your Belvedere? Micron filtering from charcoal filtering? No matter how you take your vodka, it is time to embrace your inner vodka snob. How to Be a Vodka Snob is the perfect read for drinking novices as well as connoisseurs, beginning with vodka's humble history as a medicinal liquor and accompanying it on its rise to stardom with high-end vodka appreciators and mixologists. Pairing fascinating stories, tidbits, and recipes with a step-by-step guide to becoming a vodka snob, Brittany Jacques offers a beginner's guide to proper glassware, equipment needed for the home bar, and the all-important vodka lingo. Ever wanted to order a filthy martini, stirred, extra wet? How to Be a Vodka Snob is the perfect book for you. How to be a Vodka Snob features more than 50 recipes with everything from James Bond's favorite Martini to Dwight's Beets Over Rocks from The Office, as well as accompanying nibbles and side dishes. With Brittany Jacques as your guide, your journey to becoming a vodka snob starts here.

The world’s most iconic spirit is getting a face lift with 60 delightfully rowdy refreshments to turn any cocktail enthusiast into a vodka bon vivant. As one of the most versatile liquors on the market, vodka presents endless opportunities for crowd-pleasing punches, fruity shots, and refreshing cocktails. This seventh addition to the stunning Made Me Do It series, Vodka Made Me Do It is jam-packed with 60 innovative cocktail recipes and brimming with infusions, syrups, and gorgeous illustrations from beloved cocktail illustrator Ruby Taylor. Recipes include classics like the Espresso Martini and Moscow Mule, as well as unique creations like a Jalapeño Vodkarita and a Kiwi Martini. Whether you prefer sipping White Russians in a bowling alley, instructing shaken but not stirred, or rocking Carrie Bradshaw’s stilettos and an iconic Cosmo, vodka is, and will forever be, the quintessential party starter.

This is a study of the social, economic, and political role of Vodka in nineteenth-century Russia. Since the `Green Serpent' first appeared in sixteenth-century Muscovy, it has played a vital part in Russian life. Vodka became an essential part of Russian working-class celebrations: personal, religious, and commercial. Trade in Vodka redistributed wealth upwards through Russian society over several centuries. Indeed, Russia's status as a great power was underpinned by it: by the nineteenth century, it generated one-third of government revenue - enough to cover most of the costs of the vast army. The dependence on Vodka of both people and state has endured into the Gorbachev era. But despite Vodka's key role in Russian history, and the complex network of corruption associated with it, the subject has been ignored by most historians until now. This study concentrates on an important transitional era in the history of Vodka: the early nineteenth century. During this period, Vodka taxes played the role that salt taxes had played in the ancien r--eacute--;gime in France. The abolition of the tax farm in 1863 should be seen as one of the most important of the `Great Reforms' of the 1860s, an era which, in many ways, parallels the glasnost of the 1980s.