Mixology: A Martini Thesaurus for Bartenders
Thesaurus
•User Guide
•Displays
User Guide
The Mixology Thesaurus is a tool for indexing martini recipes by type, taste, liquor, and garnishes. In order to permit the addition of martini recipes, the Mixology Thesaurus has been designed to cover a broad range of martinis rather than specific liquors and garnishes. This method increases the number of recipes retrieved on each search and provides bartenders with a greater selection of martini recipes.
There are three types of relationships among terms in this thesaurus:
1) Equivalence Relationships: This relationship allows for synonyms in the thesaurus. In cases where two words are used with the same meaning, only one term (preferred term) can be used as a search term. The non-preferred terms are in italics and are followed with the preferred term indicated by "USE." For example:
berry
USE: fruity
When a searcher enters a preferred term this term may be accompanied by non-preferred terms with the notation "UF" (USE FOR). For example:
liquor
UF: distilled liquor
UF: spirits
UF: spirituous liquor
2) Hierarchical Relationships: This relationship establishes links between broader and narrower terms within the same subject. For example:
liqueur
BT1: liquor
NT1: bitters
NT1: vermouth
NT2: dry vermouth
NT2: sweet vermouth
In this example, BT is "broader term." Thus liquor is a broader term for liqueur. On the other hand, NT is "narrower term." Vermouth and bitters are types of liqueurs and are therefore narrower terms. Dry vermouth and sweet vermouth are, in turn, specific types of vermouth.
When a term is too broad to be an indexing term, but is needed to group together similar terms, it is included as a node label (indicated by angled brackets <>). For example:
<tastes>
NT: dry
fruity
sour
spicy
sweet (sugary)
sweet (wet)
3) Associative Relationships: When two terms are related in meaning but represent different concepts their relationship is indicated with "RT" (related terms). For example:
on the rocks
RT: straight up
Two
methods are used to clarify the meaning of terms:
1) Scope Notes (SN): These notes are brief definitions of terms and are only used when a term may be ambiguous. For example:
classic martinis
SN: A martini whose basic ingredients include gin or
vodka and vermouth.
2) Qualifiers: These are single words placed in brackets () where a term may have more than one meaning within the context of the Mixology Thesaurus. There is only one instance to date where qualifiers have been necessary:
sweet (sugary)
sweet (wet)
Displays
The Mixology Thesaurus is available in
four displays:
1) Alphabetical: Terms are listed in alphabetical order and display the next broadest and next narrowest terms.
2) Top Term: Terms are arranged under a "top term;" that is, the broadest term in each hierarchy.
3) Hierarchical: Terms are displayed alphabetically and all broader terms, narrower terms, and related terms are displayed beneath.
4) Graphical: The thesaurus can be searched using a visual interface.