Nominated for the 2014
Spirited Awards’
Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book
"The Art of the Shim is a lovely, useful book. Great low alcohol cocktail recipes." - Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller, Mixellany
"this home bar companion will suit you well if craft cocktails are your thing, but if Uncle Steve dancing on the tables is not. Great sips don't have to be super boozy, as author Dinah Sanders proves with more than fifty cocktail recipes." - The Local Palate: Food Culture of the South (Dec 2014/Jan 2015 issue)
"Where has this book been all my life?" - Blair Frodelius, Good Spirits News
"I'm so enjoying this book, which offers over 50 cocktails and a rich selection of quotes and advice from professional bartenders. The photos deserve a special mention, too; they're gorgeous, with a depth and clarity that shows off the drinks beautifully." - Faith Durand, the kitchn
"[Sanders'] drinks bear no resemblance to the super-sweet, cranberry/grape mocktails that have been passed off as proper drinks in the past. Instead, this book provides an excellent collection of low-octane craft libations made with vermouths and other aperitifs to keep the tipsy down." - Christine Sismondo, Hamilton Spectator
"A stiff drink has its time and place, but most of the time I'd rather enjoy a few lower-alcohol libations (and avoid spending the next day regretting the night's excesses). My reference of choice: The Art of the Shim whose pages house dozens of light and refreshing options that I can't wait to try." - Nicole Perry, POPSUGAR Food, 'Best Food Gifts 2013'
"A low-alcohol recipe book that managed to avoid drinks that are big on fruit and sweetness, but low on complexity and mouth-feel. A must read for anyone interested in enjoying three great drinks rather than one." - Diffords Guide, '30 Cocktail Books You Need On Your Shelves'
"The drinks are solid and tasty, including some classics like the 1922 Diplomat (two types of vermouth, maraschino liqueur and bitters) that blessedly have nothing in common with white-wine spritzers and the other shims of yore." - Wayne Curtis, Wall Street Journal, 'A Good Year For Cocktail Books'
"I'd love to drink my way through this book, and I'm betting your favorite cocktail geek would, too." - Maggie Hoffmann, Serious Eats: Drinks, 'Editor's Picks: A Few More Drink-Related Gifts'
"what do you mix when you’re looking for something simple, low-alcohol, festive and tasty? Enter the shim!" - Briana Mowrey, HGTV
"the book blew away any remnants of scepticism we felt earlier: [the drinks are] punchy, packed full of sharp flavours, none too sweet, none too fruity." - Jane Ryan, Diffords Guide
"New book I'm enjoying: The Art of the Shim, aka 'more drink, less drunk.' Want to make every cocktail in this book." - Kara Newman, author of Cocktails for a Crowd
"As my history master used to say : 'Read. Mark. Learn and inwardly digest.' Necessary and tasty reading." - Angus Winchester, respected drinks maven and international brand ambassador
"Got my copy of this year's sexiest cocktail book Art of the Shim last night. It causes painful thirsts in me." - Camper English, cocktails and spirits journalist and winner of the Best Cocktail Writing award at Tales of the Cocktail in 2011
“Why have one delightful cocktail when you can have two or three? This book, as elegant as it is useful, adds a golden arrow to the serious drink-mixer’s quiver. Armed with it, I look forward to shimming everyone in sight.” - David Wondrich, Esquire magazine columnist and author of Imbibe! and Punch (advance praise)
“Every cocktail should be delicious, but not every drink needs to deliver a wallop. With The Art of the Shim, Dinah Sanders is performing a public service: these well-considered bibulous gems all weigh in on the featherweight end of the alcohol spectrum, so a drinker can sample through a few without fear of a knockout punch. Such delicious and dialed-in drinks should be a part of every bartender’s repertoire, and on the evening itinerary of every cocktail enthusiast’s night on the town.” - Paul Clarke, contributing editor, Imbibe magazine (advance praise)
“Somewhere between a mocktail and a cocktail lies the ‘shim,’ as defined by Dinah Sanders. These less-boozy drinks provide enough oomph to have a good time but enough level-headed alcohol consumption to help the fun last all night. Insightful and entertaining, The Art of the Shim is an informative addition to anyone’s cocktail book collection.” - Natalie Bovis, The Liquid Muse, author of Preggatinis, The Bubbly Bride, and Edible Cocktails (advance praise)
“Absolutely fantastic!” - Erik Lorincz, head bartender, American Bar, Savoy Hotel, London (advance praise)
“The Art of the Shim is cheeky without being legally culpable for cheek. Dinah Sanders plays it all above board. The promise is low alcohol cocktails and she delivers without resorting to any of the imminently-available low-cal chemistry that tends to turn such book premises into muck. She uses thoroughly classic ingredients of which any cocktailian barkeep would approve. With them, she conjures really, really lovely quaffs that satisfy while maintaining their signature virtue. I mean, how cheeky is that? To top it off, she calls her book ‘Shim,’ defines it, it all holds together and you’re left with a sense that it’s right...that everything is just right and was always thus. Such unprovable cheek is terribly annoying, and awfully good.” - Ted Haigh, author of Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails and curator of The Museum of the American Cocktail (advance praise)
"We're guessing that shims (or low-alcohol cocktails) are going to be one of the next big things in drink making, so why not get ahead of the curve and brush up on your shim know-how now. Learn how to mix balanced, flavorful cocktails without a boozey punch. Aided by a bunch of beautiful photos, Sanders' book is almost as much about the cocktail porn as it is about learning about the cocktails themselves." - Heather Hoch, Phoenix New Times
"Overall, the book contains a good techniques section and 53 recipes that span from classics to modern drinks. Sherry, vermouth, aromatized wine, beer, sparkling wine, and liqueurs take center stage here with a good number of the drinks containing a half ounce or less of standard base spirits for backbone." - Frederic Yarm, author of Drink & Tell
"These are delicious. And it's fun to be able to have a second cocktail on a weeknight without feeling like you're going to embarrass yourself in front of the kids at dinnertime. I got this for a gift for my husband, who likes to fix us drinks before dinner, and he likes it very much." - BanjoGirl on Amazon
"This is an excellent book of recipes to use to make lower-proof drinks. It makes heavy use of the less used items, such as an array of vermouths, sherries, bitters, and aperitifs. I often buy these to use small amounts in full-proof drinks, but so often the vermouth spoils before I can use it all, since it is used in just tiny amounts. This book is just what I needed to broaden my cocktail horizons." - C. Suelzle on Amazon
"NOT the same old cocktail book... A great read for any cocktail enthusiast." - Craig Morton on Amazon
"A fantastic book for the cocktail enthusiast. ... While, some of the drinks are things you might expect—vermouth and soda, spritzes, etc.—there are number of unexpected approaches, all of which are delicious." - Jonathan Stout on Amazon
"This is the most attractive cocktail book we own & well written." - Heather Hesketh on Amazon
"Sanders' new book fills a need for me: what to serve when you're in the mood for being creative but not powering towards the drunkeness horizon; and what to make for friends who are need something less hardcore. If you love the beauty and creativity involved in good cocktails, The Art of the Shim is essential to rounding out your repertoire." - Stringy on Amazon
"When alcohol consumption is your hobby/passion, as it is mine, it can be easy to go overboard and drink too much and feel icky afterwards. The Art of the Shim provides information about low alcohol cocktails that won't knock you out while still giving you that classic cocktail experience. The stunning pictures will make you covet each and every drink as you explore by mood, era and cocktail type. I love this book so much I'm planning to give it to just about everyone as a holiday gift, and am already planning a holiday party using the tips and recipes from this book. Highly recommended!!" - Lila on Amazon
"I've enjoyed this book - both in reading it and in trying out the drinks. It was a hit at a recent get-together!" - Pamela on Goodreads
"I have never been a big drinker, but I do enjoy a good cocktail and this book delivers." - Lori Winslow on Goodreads
"Great book for learning cocktails! Makes me respect and really want to start making and sampling them. Gives great detail on how and why shims are a better drink choice then hard alcohol." - literary prophets on Goodreads
"This book is just what I needed to broaden my cocktail horizions." - C. Suelzle on Amazon
"Fantastic. Gorgeous photos, easy to do recipes, and feels hand crafted with lots of quotes and commentary." - urban on Goodreads
"my mother stole this from me, she is enjoying it immensely though!" - Branden Vanscoy on Goodreads