Celebrating the magic and pleasure of the perfect cocktail, with recipes, stories and tips

It’s 6 o’clock: clear your mind of the cares of the day. Relax and fix yourself a drink. It’s The Cocktail Hour.

'A wonderful writer in his absolute element' Nigella Lawson

The moment Tim Hayward started mixing himself an 'attitude adjuster' at the end of the day, his life changed. He realised he was falling in love – with the taste, the image, the ritual and legend, of the cocktail.

The Cocktail Hour celebrates not just the recipes but the stories, feelings and nostalgia that a drink can evoke. You will learn how to make 50 classic and modern drinks carefully, with good ingredients and the right equipment. But more importantly, from Gimlet to Gibson, Manhattan to Margarita, you will be equipped to immerse yourself fully and appreciatively in the ritual.

Achieve inner peace and equilibrium, take pleasure in the glorious moment of that first sip, and join the innumerable artists, writers, statesmen, actors and intellectual titans who, across the centuries, have discovered the profound joy of The Cocktail Hour.

Details

ISBN13: 9781837836611
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 288
Edition:
Publication Date: 01 Sep 2026
Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Ltd
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 24.4(H)x16.4(L)x3.2(W)928
Weight (gm): 928

Author Biography

Tim Hayward is an award-winning food journalist and broadcaster, and the author of six books including Knife (2016) and Steak (2024). He is a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet, frequently presents The Food Programme and in December 2018 made and presented The Gut Instinct: A Social Culture, a five-part Radio 4 series. Tim is the flagship food writer for The Financial Times, and winner of awards including the Fortnum and Mason Restaurant Writer of the Year 2024 and Guild of Food Writers awards for Food Writing 2024. He is co-owner of Fitzbillies Bakery in Cambridge.

‘A respectful eater and a beautifully elegant writer.’ Nigella Lawson

‘One of the best food writers alive.’ Simon Schama

Reviews