In all of my, eh-hem, 10-ish years of drinking (the best of those in my drink-anything-and-everything college days) I have only recently begun mixing anything more sophisticated than my standard Captain and diet, extra lime.

Lately, I’ve been digging martinis. All sorts of them – Pomegranate, Tropical, Dirty – bring it on. I have been really into trying new recipes at home on a chill Friday night.

So, I have been mixing up all sorts of stuff at my mini home bar (AKA my dining room). Pulling recipes from books we have in stock here and from some that I have gotten as gifts over the years.

In preparation for another weekend of intense hockey here in Buffalo I started thumbing through what everyone here has been saying is the best cocktail book ever – a bible of sorts, if you will – Mr. Boston’s Platinum Edition. And I am loving it. This guy, Mr. Boston (Leo Cotton, RIP), really knows his stuff.

Not only chock-full of recipes (like 1500 of them!) this book has tons of techniques on how to make, muddle, shake and pour them, and history of a lot of the cocktails. So, I can stop BS-ing and look like I know what I am doing.

If you don’t have one, really, check it out.

I am absolutely bringing this home tonight to get ready for our nail-biting, finger-crossing, TV-cursing Sabres-filled weekend! Because whichever way this round of playoffs goes – I’ll need a drink.