'Sips and Apps' - Cookbook Spotlight

by Sara Bonisteel, Posted Sep 30th 2009 @ 2:00PM

sips and apps Photo: Chronicle Books

'Sips and Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers'
By Kathy Casey
Photos by Angie Norwood Browne
Chronicle Books -- 2009
Buy it on Amazon

Kathy Casey isn't a mixologist, she's a "bar chef" -- a trained chef with mad cocktail skills. In "Sips and Apps," she ventures off the well-trod path of standard cocktail guides to explore cocktails with such seductive names as Black Feather and Clear Conscience.

But it's her appetizers that are sure to offer a new trick or two for your next cocktail soiree.

See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.

Takeaway tips: "Every sip needs a d'lish app!" When throwing a cocktail party, stick to one signature drink (two if you just have to have more than one) and only a few appetizers. Oh, and remember to read through the recipe at least once before starting (we've all been known to mess that one up).

Quality of pictures: Browne transforms the cocktail photos into dreamy pastel-scapes. Appetizer closeups are slightly bolder in color -- and just as mouthwatering.

We tested: Chipotle Deviled Eggs and Cheladas

chipotle deviled eggs Photo: Sara Bonisteel

Both of these recipes were simple and delicious. Pureeing canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to create a chili paste gave the eggs a spicy kick. We easily halved the recipe and our trio of testers devoured all 12 deviled eggs in minutes -- we'll definitely be adding this recipe to the permanent rotation. Casey's classic take on the Chelada required a Mexican beer, the juice of one lime and a glass rimmed with kosher salt. Tasty.

Worth the investment: While probably not ideal for the teetotaler set, "Sips & Apps" would make a great hostess gift for those who revel in the "Mad Men" era.

Filed Under: Cookbook Spotlight, Drink Recipes
Tags: angie norwood brown, AngieNorwoodBrown, appetizers, cocktails, cookbook spotlight, CookbookSpotlight, deviled eggs, DeviledEggs, hors doeuvres, kathy casey, KathyCasey, mad men, MadMen, sips and apps, SipsAndApps