Cooks' Books by Lisa Messinger

"Left Coast Libations: The Art of West Coast Bartending — 100 Original Cocktails" by Ted Munat with Michael Lazar (Left Coast Libations, $24.95).

Summer drink season may be almost officially over, but lolling around the pool at high-glamour Los Angeles hotspots sipping cocktails is an all-year sport that never goes out of style.

Ted Munat and Michael Lazar picked up on that vibe and spread it in spades throughout "Left Coast Libations: The Art of West Coast Bartending — 100 Original Cocktails," their homage to what's cool in Hollywood, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Ore., and even across the border in the gorgeously chic Vancouver.

As much as the glossy color photographs throughout the book shine — as Munat and Lazar planned — it's really the bartenders who stand out. Their voices sing from their own bio pages and tips abound. Many of the fleet, in fact, like Eric Alperin, have their roots in New York City, but then gave cocktails their own West Coast spins.

His Kingsbury, for instance, gets lime juice added to its smooth Campari, vermouth, Licor, Prosecco-splashed mixture that's garnished with a L.A. health food store-inspired cucumber slice garnish.

Joseph Brooke, another East Coast "escapee," makes everyone's West Coast daydreams come true with his Brass Flower, a gin, champagne and elderflower liqueur masterpiece that is swimming in grapefruit juice and grapefruit bitters before being accented with the oils expressed from a strip of grapefruit peel.

Other cities make their presences well felt, too, and prove they have been more than ripe to have their signature cocktails chronicled and shared with wider audiences.

"Seattle, for the past few decades, has wielded cultural influence that is disproportionate to its size," note the authors (both bloggers of the hip West Coast cocktail scene). " ... And since Seattle's overall cultural impact has been so disproportionate, it's only logical that its impact on the Cocktail Culture should be as well. And make no mistake: Seattle is a cocktail destination."

One of the biggest treats, which clearly shows how unique these hipsters' libations are, is the large section of recipes for 40 homemade infusions that are integral parts of the cocktails. Here are some examples:

— Lime-Thai Pepper Tincture prepared with grain alcohol, dried red Thai chilies, simple syrup and limes.

— Roasted pineapple "feathers."

— San Francisco's Daniel Hyatt infuses his Still Life with Apples not only with bourbon, but also with batches of his own homemade "maple syrup gastrique" and "smoked cider air."

— The "saffron sharbat" that's in Seattle's Anu Apte's Saffron Sandalwood Gin Sour is not complete without a separately made addition of homemade saffron extract.

The authors point out that — although they took the bartenders' recommendations for specific brands if they made a difference to the drinks — they accepted no sponsorship or payment from liquor companies.

One of the few requests before this intriguing book's tip jar would be completely full: More.

The mix of bartenders seems partially a jumble of those who agreed and sent back permission forms, rather than the definitive collection it could have been.

Robert Hess and Paul Clarke are mentioned as the "brilliant minds" of the hopping Seattle scene, who have "aided" and "fostered" all that's there, but neither contributed to the book. Seattle's and San Francisco's chapters are loaded with happy chaps, but the entire metropolis of L.A. only yields six. And we know that the bustling high-rise-filled and bar-packed international hotspot of Vancouver is sorely lacking with its turnout of only two busy barkeeps.

THE BRASS FLOWER

JOSEPH BROOKE, LOS ANGELES

1 ounce gin

1 ounce grapefruit juice

3/4 ounce (preferably St. Germain) elderflower liqueur

2 dashes (preferably Fee Brothers) grapefruit bitters

Brut champagne

Strip of grapefruit peel, for garnish

Yields 1 cocktail.

Gently toss (a five-second shake) all the ingredients, except the champagne, over ice.

Strain into a chilled champagne flute.

Top with the champagne.

Twist a strip of grapefruit peel to express the oils over the drink, discarding the peel.

ENGLISH BREAKFAST

MARCO DIONYSOS, SAN FRANCISCO

1 1/2 ounces Earl Grey Tea-Infused No. 209 gin (see Note)

3/4 ounces Grand Marnier

3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange marmalade

(Preferably Qi) black tea liqueur, for garnish

Yields 1 cocktail.

Dry shake all the ingredients.

Add ice and shake again.

Double-strain into a port glass.

Spray top of drink with the Qi black tea liqueur, preferably using a Misto pump. Misto pumps, which allow you to turn most liquids into a fine aerosol, can be purchased at stores specializing in kitchen equipment.

Note: To prepare Earl Grey tea-infused No. 209 gin, pour 1/2 bottle (375 ml) No. 209 gin into a 1-quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2 Earl Grey tea bags (preferably a fine grade, like that packaged by The Republic of Tea or Twinings) and steep for 30 minutes or less, until the liquid is dark amber but translucent. Remove the tea bags with a utensil and discard. This makes enough for 6 cocktails and keeps indefinitely.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "After-Work Gourmet" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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