A place with "wild men and wilder women," 1920s Dallas boasted one bar for every one hundred people, and a thirsty Texan could find a drink nearly anywhere. Although home to the Texas Anti-Saloon League, drinks never stopped pouring in Dallas and Fort Worth, fueled by the likes of Jack Ruby, Benny Binion, saloons and dance halls. Homegrown moonshine and bathtub gin yielded specialty recipes that today's barkeeps have honed into tasty concoctions for a contemporary palate. Join Rita Cook as she explores prohibition in Dallas and Fort Worth and learn from Jeffrey Yarbrough and his band of local mixologists about their modern takes on classic drinks so readers can step back in time, drink in hand.
Rita Cook is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Texas. Her work has appeared in the Washington Times, the Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and many other publications. She has published four books of local history, including A Brief History of Fort Worth. Jeffrey Yarbrough is a publicist and entrepreneur living in Dallas. His PR firm, BigInk, was noted by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the Top 25 public relations companies in Dallas/Fort Worth. Jason Kosmas is an entrepreneur living in Dallas, Texas. Originally from New York, Mr. Kosmas' bar, Employees Only, won Best Cocktail Bar in the World at Tales of the Cocktail and he is author of the book, SPEAKEASY. Kevin Marple is a photographer from Dallas, Texas. Originally from Connecticut, Marple holds a BFA in photography and is the recipient of a gold Addy award for his work for Monster.com