Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers

by Kathy Casey, Angie Norwood Browne (Photographer)

When it comes to cocktails and appetizers chef Kathy Casey is an expert at balancing flavors and textures. Sips & Apps has 100 recipes that include not only classics like the Martini and Manhattan but also creative new concoctions like the Douglas Fir Sparkletini and the Blue Thai Mojito. Appetizers include simple finger foods like Roasted Pear Crostini with Gorgonzola and ChaCha Cashews and more substantial treats like Asian Shrimp Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce. Lots of info on stocking a home bar and plenty of techniques and extras (like a nifty double ribbon marker labeled "sips" and "apps") make it easy to match up the right sip with the right app.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

204 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2009

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appetizers may well be my favorite food group. Dips, spreads, baskets of bread, crudités, amuse-bouches, miniature what-have-you, any variety of fried cheese, from saganaki to jalapeño poppers. My new cookbook boyfriend “Sips & Apps” combines an array of pre-or outside-meal noshes with a section of horizon-expanding libations, the latter of which has served to lift me well above my college-honed here’s-some-booze-here’s-some-mixer drink-makin’ skills. I’ve become a lime-squeezing, simple-syrup-dolloping, cocktail-shaking fool: fresh margaritas with a touch of chili, sunset-pink hibiscus rum punch, a concoction of cucumber, lime, and soju (Korean sweet potato vodka) as subtle and refreshing as a good night’s sleep with a kitten curled on your pillow. I find myself longing for winter, to try the Harvest Pumpkin Toddy (like pie laced with brandy!) or the Holiday Hot-Buttered Rum. As for the nibbles, I haven’t had a less-than-perfect one yet, though the bacon, blue cheese, and pecan “cocktail cookies” are early standouts. The dishes are well and unusually spiced (a roasted red pepper and almond spread, e.g., is perked up with orange juice), and yield just enough for one to have leftovers after a party or film festival or art opening—or whatever excuse you generate to keep cooking.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fun and many recipes I'm looking forward to making.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Full of nummies in eats & drinks. I just found out
they FINALLY had it in ebook form for my nook so I gotzd it! Yay!

[Desda White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great recipes - good ideas that are a bit out of the ordinary. Nice lists for stocking the bar and pantry for a get together.

[Elizabeth Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful as a reference for building a bar and mastering basic cocktail recipes, as well as more adventurous ones, and tasty yum-yums to go with them.