Archive For The “Drinks” Category

40 Cocktails selected by The Shelby Company Ltd. I hate to admit it but I have never actually seen Peaky Blinders, although those characters seem to have had access to some rather good cocktails! 40 of them are included in this beautifully presented book. Birmingham Sour, Derby, Easy Dizzy are here along with Inspector Campbell,…

The Very Best Martinis, Margaritas, Manhattans, and More Cocktails have enjoyed a revival over the past couple of decades. We visit bars but we also want to make them at home. There won’t be many sideboards that don’t have a cocktail shaker likely collecting dust at the back. The Artisanal Kitchen: Classic Cocktails: The Very…

An Iconic Cocktail Cocktail There can be no more recognisable cocktail than a martini. Yes, it’s the glass that gives it away; and now we have a neat little volume, The Martini: Perfection in a Glass, to guide us through the combinations of ingredients to make a delicious selection of martinis. Author Matt Hranek has…

Master the Dark Arts of Mixology It’s that season of mystery and magic, so The Alchemist Cocktail Book can only add to the festive fun. This striking volume is indeed gift-quality and rather unique. The very cover is intriguing and more reminiscent of Harry Potter than a recipe book. It takes a step away from…

Bakes, Cakes and Treats for All Seasons That came around quick! It’s heading towards Christmas. Soon it will be time to bring down the Christmas tree from the loft even though it only seems about six weeks since we struggled to put it up there. We seek out gifts and treats for friends and family….

No need to even open the cover of this substantial volume to be assured that this is indeed a wine book like no other! Author Bas Korpel is a writer and vinologist, and since 2011 he has immersed himself in wine – well, metaphorically speaking, anyway. He has worked for several advertising agencies in Amsterdam…

In 2019 the celebrated Negroni cocktail turned 100 years old. The mixed drink revival has introduced a new audience to this iconic classic. The drink’s proportions consist of equal measures of Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth. It’s not difficult for the home barman/woman to master, him/herself. It has a timeless elegance and wide appeal. The…

50 Classic Mixes for Every Occasion Whisky Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced whisky cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying…

Brandy Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced brandy cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year….

Rum Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced rum cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year….

Vodka Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced vodka cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year….

Spirited: Cocktails from Around the World I am blessed! I have the opportunity to review books from every English-speaking country and I love my job. Each year I muse upon publications over the past months and consider my Book of the Year. It’s only September and I can tell you I have found it. Spirited…

Gin Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced gin cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year….

How things have changed. A combination of global warming and improved techniques have elevated English wines. Wine guru Oz Clarke now has material to fill a book on just that subject, English Wine: From still to sparkling: The NEWEST New World wine country. We in the UK will glow with pride and the French will…

How to Drink Gin! That’s a curious name for a book, isn’t it? One would think it’s a simple process. Step 1 – Fill glass with gin. Step 2 – Throw head back and pour aforementioned beverage into open mouth. Step 3 – swallow. But there is much more to enjoying gin than that. How…

The Whisky Dictionary, or to give this book its full title – The Whisky Dictionary: An A–Z of whisky, from history & heritage to distilling & drinking, is the discerning sipper’s guide to everything appertaining to whisky as well as whiskey. The difference between those is also explained. Everything from American rye to bourbon spirits…

The Black Book of Gin Cocktails is by Brockmans who distil, in my opinion, one of the best gins … and there are a lot out there. This slim gift-quality book is black in both name and appearance. The black cover is embossed (or is it etched?) and that dusky theme continues inside with full-page…

Champagne: Wine of Kings and the King of Wines by Tom Bruce-Gardyne introduces the reader to the colourful story of how this delicious sparkling wine became the centrepiece of any smart party or event, and almost anywhere in the world. Champagne has universal appeal. This impressive tome looks at the essential and celebrated method of…