How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well
by Eric Felten
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Book Summary Information
Author: Eric FeltenEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-11-28
ISBN: 1572840897
Number of pages: 200
Publisher: Agate Surrey
Book Reviews of How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well
Book Review: I'll Have Another
Summary: 5 Stars
Felten pens one of my favorite columns in the WSJ -- a column entitled "How's Your Drink". The book, taking its title from the column, carries through the theme of the columns which is to reintroduce the reader to the historical and culture heritage of cocktails.
Until recently a devout vodka drinker, I have, through Mr. Felten's writings, let go of my long held prejudice against gin and have instead come to favor it. At an earlier age my sisters and I were warned of the dangers of gin -- not alcohol, but gin specifically:"If you must drink anything don't drink gin... it will make you go blind!" Reading Mr. Felten's characterization of gin led me to risk going blind and give it a try.
Every chapter is filled with anecdotes and historical accounts of the origins of each drink mentioned in the book. For example, because of the Hollywood portrayal of James Bond, only those who have read Ian Fleming's novels or Mr. Feltens book would know that Bond drank anything other than a "vodka martini, shaken not stirred". In fact, Bond, like any true gentlemen, would select a drink appropriate for the occassion.
A book about cocktails wouldn't be complete without a few recipes. Each recipe is intend to best represent the cocktails presented. Felten does this, but also discusses some of the known variations, their origins and the relative merits or "challenges" of each. Two favorites I discovered in the book are the "Gin Rickey" and "The Bronx" cocktails.
Not all the recipes were to my liking, but that's to be expected. God bless the man who can make a palatable drink out of Campari -- The Americano Highball certainly doesn't fit the bill.
A cautionary note: I would encourage anyone reading this book to try making these recipes at home. Why? You may be challenged to find a bartender who can make most of the drinks mentioned in the book. It's not that the drinks are difficult to make or that the ingredients are difficult to obtain. Instead it reflects a willingness on the part of patrons to settle for the mundane and the eagerness of bars to keep those margins high. Don't believe me? Let me know when you find a bar that can make a Gin Rickey as good as the one you make without first asking you what's in it.
Summary of How's Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well
Based on the popular feature in the Saturday Wall Street Journal, How's Your Drink illuminates the culture of the cocktail. Cocktails are back after decades of decline, but the literature and lore of the classics has been missing. John F. Kennedy played nuclear brinksmanship with a gin and tonic in his hand. Teddy Roosevelt took the witness stand to testify that six mint juleps over the course of his presidency did not make him a drunk. Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Chandler both did their part to promote the gimlet. Fighting men mixed drinks with whatever liquor could be scavenged between barrages, raising glasses to celebrate victory and to ease the pain of defeat. Eric Felten tells all of these stories and many more, and also offers exhaustively researched cocktail recipes. How?s Your Drink is an essential addition to the literature of spirits and a fantastic holiday gift for husbands and fathers.
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