About Pleiades

What we write about

We publish recipes, histories and practical guides. Some articles look at a single classic: where it came from, who is credited with it and how to make it well today. Others are about technique, such as ice, vermouth or clarified punch, or about the wider culture of drinking: hotel bars, bar design, aperitif rituals and the food that belongs beside a good drink.

Our structure borrows an idea we have always admired. The cocktail list at Bar Pleiades, the much-loved lounge that once sat inside The Surrey hotel on East 76th Street in Manhattan, was divided into four chapters: La Tradition, La Saison, Le Potager and Le Voyage. Classics, seasonal drinks, garden drinks and drinks with a passport. We think that is still one of the nicest ways to organize a life in cocktails, and our menu guide uses it as a map of this journal.

Our independence

Pleiades is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Bar Pleiades, The Surrey hotel, Daniel Boulud, the Dinex Group, Café Boulud or any of their owners or successors. The bar closed in 2020. We cannot take reservations, answer questions about the former bar or its events, or speak for any of those businesses. Where we write about the bar's history, we rely on published reviews, newspaper coverage and archived menus, and we try to make it clear what is documented and what is not. You can read that history in Bar Pleiades at The Surrey.

How we work

• Recipes are tested. Every recipe we publish has been made and tasted, usually several times. Measurements are in milliliters because they are precise and easy to scale.
• Histories are checked. Cocktail history is full of good stories that are not true. We say when an origin story is a legend, and we credit bartenders and books when the evidence supports it.
• No paid placement. We do not accept payment to feature brands, bars or products. When we name a bottle, it is because it is a useful reference point.
• Photography. Our images are licensed stock photographs, credited on each page. They are illustrative and do not show the former Bar Pleiades unless stated.

Drink responsibly

Cocktails are for adults of legal drinking age. Please drink in moderation, never drink and drive, and make sure your guests get home safely. Several of our recipes use raw egg white or foraged ingredients; read the notes in those articles carefully.

Get in touch

Corrections, recipe questions and story ideas are always welcome. Write to us at contact@barpleiades.com or see our contact page.