Behind The Stick: Learning Classic Cocktails from 'The New Old Bar'

By Paul Leddy in Food on Jan 30, 2013 5:30PM

Blood and Sand Cocktail from Steve McDonagh

When we consider making the cocktails that we see in our favorite cocktail bars, there are times when the hard-to-find ingredients, futuristic techniques and garnishes used are too intimidating or impossible to replicate at home. Most of the time, when we want to make drinks at home, we just want to make cocktails that are simple and tasty. Steve McDonagh, with his partner Dan Smith from Hearty Restaurant, has recently published a book, The New Old Bar, which tackles this overwhelming world with ease and aplomb.

McDonagh, as you will see in the video, is a great teacher. That should come as no surprise to fans of the Hearty Boys series on the Food Network or to readers of their first cookbook, Talk with your Mouth Full. Steve's goal, when creating The New Old Bar, was to list cocktails that were completely accessible to even the most novice cocktail maker. He also made sure that they were made with readily available ingredients and easy drink construction.

After no time at all, you may find yourself becoming the confident mixologist—at least in the comfort of your own home—you always wanted to be.

Hearty Restaurant is located at 3819 North Broadway.