Tim Hayward

It's 7:30 pm: clear your mind of the cares of the day. relax and fix yourself a drink.

It's _The Cocktail Hour_.The moment Tim Hayward started mixing himself an 'attitude adjuster' at the end of the day, his life changed.

He realised he was falling in love - with the taste, the image, the ritual and legend, of _the cocktail.__The Cocktail Hour_ celebrates not just the recipes but the stories, feelings and nostalgia that a drink can evoke.

You will learn how to make 50 classic and modern drinks carefully, with good ingredients and the right equipment.

But more importantly, from Gimlet to Gibson, Manhattan to Margarita, you will be equipped to immerse yourself fully and appreciatively in the ritual.Achieve inner peace and equilibrium, take pleasure in the glorious moment of that first sip, and join the innumerable artists, writers, statesmen, actors and intellectual titans who, across the centuries, have discovered the profound joy of _The Cocktail Hour_.TIM HAYWARD writes for the _Financial Times_ and is a panellist on BBC Radio 4's _The Kitchen Cabinet_.

He won the Guild of Food Writers 'Food Journalist of the Year' award in 2014, 2015 and 2022, and was the Fortnum and Mason Food Writer of the Year for 2014 and 2022.

He is the author of _Food DIY_, _The DIY Cook_, _Knife_, _The Modern Kitchen_, _Loaf Story_, _Charcuterie from Scratch_, and _Steak_.