As a drink/cocktail photographer, my goal is to make my subjects look mouthwatering from a single picture. I use light-painting photography strategies to make each drink feel as if you can pluck it right off the page. I am not a mixologist, but I have looked and experimented with many different cocktail recipes in the development of this book, adding an additional squeeze of lemon juice or a bit more tequila to make the drink my own. The recipes that follow are for classic cocktails, so they have roots in original recipes that go back decades and even centuries. My personal tastes gravitate towards sweeter beverages, which may not be for everyone, but this has had some influence on the drinks I've chosen to feature in this collection. I encourage my readers to add their notes at the end of each section, so you never forget any new spins or substitutions you discover, or new ingredients you would like to add. Life's a delicious experiment, so go and mix up something delicious!