Embury, David A. (1886–1960), was the author of The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, which was originally published in 1948 and has served for many decades as the seminal work on cocktails and mixology for countless bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts. A descendant of one of the founders of the Methodist church in America and a lawyer by trade, Embury never worked in the beverage or restaurant industry. By his own admission, the New York tax attorney gained his mixological expertise “entirely as a consumer and as a shaker-upper of drinks for the delectation of my guests.”
In The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, Embury begins with the declaration “Anyone can make good cocktails,” and then puts forth his philosophies and advice on how this is done. He stresses that cocktails are intended as before-dinner drinks and therefore should never have more than a hint of sweetness to them. He details the importance of only using quality spirits, liqueurs, and other ingredients, as well as using plenty of ice. Prior to covering a variety of recipes, he goes into detail on what he refers to as the six basic drinks; namely, the Martini, Manhattan, Old-Fashioned, Daiquiri, Sidecar, and Jack Rose. See Martini; Manhattan; Old-Fashioned Cocktail; Daiquiri; Sidecar; and Jack Rose.
Unlike most other cocktail tomes, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks is less a collection of countless bare-bones recipes and more of a discussion of the process and concepts behind the drinks. Throughout his book Embury includes a fair number of recipes, but in addition to a simple recipe, you will find his thoughtful, and sometimes disparaging, comments about the drinks to help the reader better understand each drink and its construction.
In 1946 and 1947, Embury was the attorney for the National Interfraternity Council and outspokenly led that organization’s efforts to prevent the racial integration of American college fraternities. Some argue that that same rigidity and lack of generosity carries over into Embury’s mixology, which admittedly can be austere. But nonetheless he remains the preeminent theorist of the cocktail, and his work provides an indispensable framework for discussing them.
Embury, David. The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. New York: Mud Puddle, 1948.
“Sorority ‘Explains’ Position.” Pittsburgh Courier, May 4, 1946, 1.
By: Audrey Saunders and Robert Hess