The Vermouth Challenge

That dusty bottle at the back of your liquor cabinet deserves some respect.

Conversation with a Cocktail Epicure

Alberta Straub, once described as “the Alice Waters of booze,” has been mixing up sublime adult beverages made with herbs, spices, and fresh fruits and vegetables for the past six years at San Francisco’s Orbit...

10 Mail-Order Gifts for 2009

Send a boozy, chocolaty, or meaty present this holiday season.

10 Recipes Using Vodka

Have your way with vodka, from tails to dinner and dessert.

BYO Whiners

With corkage fees, it’s a battle between diners and restaurateurs.

Cocktail Hour

We’ll tell you our favorites as long as you don’t hold us to them.

Glassware: The Long and Short of It

Glasses come in all shapes and sizes.

A Classy Drunk

Decades-old tails get resurrected— with a twist— in the country’s most fashionable bars.

Bring On the Bubbles

A primer on champagne.

Please Do Not Eat the Displays

Kitschy food museums cater to discriminating tastes.

Sweet, Sour, Salty, What?

Americans have historically hated bitter tastes, while other cultures loved them. Until now. Chefs are playing with bitter in new ways, and U.S. diners are finally appreciating it.

Key to the Liquor Cabinet

How to create the ultimate home bar.

Sparkling Rum Runner

Here’s a sparkling version of the rum drink, which is great as an apéritif.

At Christmas dinner, I have a mix of guests who imbibe and a few who don’t. I like to offer a festive, seasonal aperitif with the nibbles before dinner, but keep it to one drink (it’s not a big crowd), with a...

. Weekday or weekend, does it make a difference in the hour? Please educate me on aperitifs. I’m familiar with Pernod, but my wife is not a fan of its anise flavor. What other aperitifs are commonly available and how would...