Todd Wilbur has made a career out of his Top Secret Recipes series, dissecting popular recipes from America's favorite restaurant chains and presenting the results to eager home cooks. Top Secret Recipes: Sodas, Smoothies, Spirits, and Shakes continues the theme, offering homemade approximation recipes to satisfy the craving and expectations of the thirsty reader looking for a brand-name fix. Wilbur presents a host of potables to create at home, including sodas such as 7-Up and A&W root beer, brand mixtures such as Orange Julius, and even signature adult drinks from a variety of restaurant chains including Chili's, Hard Rock Cafe, and Red Lobster. But Wilbur offers more than just the genetic code to these concoctions: he provides interesting anecdotes on the origin of the beverages as well as humorous, but necessary, warnings about the various alcohol-infused drinks included. He's even dedicated a chapter to the home version of popular (and expensive) spirits such as Bailey's Irish Cream and Grand Marnier. For convenience and economy, this addition to the Top Secret collection offers a truly satisfying alternative, saving readers a trip to Starbucks for that addictive Frappuccino. --Teresa Simanton


Book Description
Todd Wilbur shares his best-kept secrets for making knockoffs of your favorite drinks-right in your own kitchen and without spending a lot of money. Readers can re-create the delicious taste of America's best-loved brand-name soft drinks, beverages, dessert drinks, mixers, and liqueurs by following Todd's easy, step-by-step instructions. If it comes in a glass, cup, bottle, or mug, it's here for you to clone at home. Discover how to make your own versions of:

* 7-Up®
* Starbuck's® Frappuccino®
* Nestea®
* Sunny Delight®
* Dairy Queen® Blizzard®
* McDonald's® Shamrock Shake®
* 7-Eleven® Cherry Slurpee®
* Grand Marnier® & Amaretto

Plus: Dozens of specialty drinks from T.G.I. Friday's®, Chili's®, Hard Rock Cafe®, Outback Steakhouse®, Applebee's®, House of Blues®, Olive Garden®, Red Lobster®, Claim Jumper®, and many more of your favorite restaurant chains.

"The mission: Decode the secret recipes for America's favorite junk foods. Equipment: Standard kitchen appliances. Goal: Leak the results to a ravenous public." (USA Today)


About the Author
Todd Wilbur is the author of Top Secret Recipes, More Top Secret Recipes, Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, Low-Fat Top Secret Recipes, and Top Secret Recipes Lite!

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Anybody thirsty for a brand-name drink? Welcome to the knockoff beverage center. From Starbucks® and McDonald's® to Applebees®, Dairy Queen®, and Jamba Juice®, Todd Wilbur has created clones of America's most popular brand-name drinks that you can make at home.

Of course, this little recipe book is perfect for everyone who wants to make a Starbucks Frappuccino®, an A&W Cream Soda®, or a 7-Eleven Cherry Slurpee® at home. But it's also great fun for all of us who like to play "guess the secret ingredient" when we're drinking a Yoo-hoo® or a Snapple Peach Iced Tea®, and helpful to those of us who like to play "guess how many calories" when we're drinking a Dairy Queen Blizzard®. (Calories are not listed, but you can estimate pretty well, working from the ingredient list.)

In addition to sodas, smoothies, and shakes, Wilbur has also cloned dozens of specialty drinks from T.G.I. Friday's®, Outback Steakhouse®, Red Lobster®, Hard Rock Café®, Planet Hollywood®, and House of Blues®. If your friends demand Planet Hollywood Shooters® or Hard Rock Hurricanes®, you'll be ready. Wilbur has also created recipes for Grand Marnier®, Bailey's Irish Cream®, and Amaretto®.

Wilbur's step-by-step recipes are very easy and require no more advanced kitchen equipment than a pitcher and a blender or shaker. You may want to give him a special award for figuring out how to keep the ice cream from going all soft when other ingredients are stirred into a Dairy Queen Blizzard® look-alike. (Ginger Curwen)

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Todd Wilbur shares his best-kept secrets for making knockoffs of your favorite drinks-right in your own kitchen and without spending a lot of money. Readers can re-create the delicious taste of America's best-loved brand-name soft drinks, beverages, dessert drinks, mixers, and liqueurs by following Todd's easy, step-by-step instructions. If it comes in a glass, cup, bottle, or mug, it's here for you to clone at home. Discover how to make your own versions of:

* 7-Up®
* Starbuck's® Frappuccino®
* Nestea®
* Sunny Delight®
* Dairy Queen® Blizzard®
* McDonald's® Shamrock Shake®
* 7-Eleven® Cherry Slurpee®
* Grand Marnier® & Amaretto

Plus: Dozens of specialty drinks from T.G.I. Friday's®, Chili's®, Hard Rock Cafe®, Outback Steakhouse®, Applebee's®, House of Blues®, Olive Garden®, Red Lobster®, Claim Jumper®, and many more of your favorite restaurant chains.

Author Biography: Todd Wilbur is the author of Top Secret Recipes, More Top Secret Recipes, Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, Low-Fat Top Secret Recipes, and Top Secret Recipes Lite!

FROM THE CRITICS

USA Today