Book excerpt: Original and innovative, the carefully tested recipes and techniques in this guide--collected from the West Coast's most talented bartenders--are sure to delight and satisfy all cocktail fans from novice to connoisseur. Written in a style that is both playful and appreciative, the book provides invaluable information on topics such as what people ought to know about ice (and don't) and what role egg whites can have in a drink. The mouth-watering recipes and lush photographs featured here will make readers excited to create the amazing cocktails of professional mixologists.