The Jig’s Up

Now, don’t rush out and buy all this stuff at once. You’ll have a place that looks like my dining room, which, for testing purposes, is brimming with booze (and has visiting repairmen thinking we’re quite the swingin’ couple). Just build on the basics—gin, bourbon, Scotch, vodka, tequila, and the like (see the Starter Kit, below)—or simply go with your favorites; then begin to experiment with the recipes within this book and stock up on the Next Level (see below) fare. Most of this stuff will go a long way, especially if you need a dash of this or that, and many are available in trial-size or travel bottles. All will keep for quite awhile if not stored in direct sunlight. For help in ordering some of the harder-to-locate products, refer to the sources page, or check your local spirits distributor or go online.