Title: Buzzworthy: Cocktails Inspired by Female Literary Greats by Jennifer Croll, illustrated by Rachelle Baker
Book Beginnings quote (from the introduction):
There's nothing better than settling in for a night of reading with a glass of something special in hand. Maybe it is because stimulating our taste buds also stimulates our minds, helping us immerse ourselves more deeply in literary worlds. Or maybe it's because absorbing the words of a great writer on some level, lend the glass we're drinking greater meaning, Whatever the reason books and cocktails are a magical combination.Friday56 (from pages 60-61 from the book):
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| "The cocktail dedicated to her is inspired by a drink called the Chapman, known as 'Nigerian sangria.'" |
Summary: Buzzworthy contains recipes for 50 original cocktails dedicated to a diverse selection of female authors from the 18th century to the present -- novelists, essayists, short story writers, poets, graphic novelists, and authors of genre fiction. A brief biography of each author, along with a list of least a few of her most famous works, is followed by a rationale for a particular cocktail. See above for the explanation of the designed cocktail for Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian author. Alongside the biography is the recipe for that author's cocktail. See below for a close up of the May Angelou cocktail. Apparently, Angelou liked to sip sherry while she wrote, hence sherry was added to her particular concoction. There is an explanation of how to use the book, basic equipment, glassware, cocktail ingredients, types of alcohol, garnishes and rims on the front pages. The back pages are full of recipes for the syrups/infusions and a TBR list of suggested titles to read from each author.
Review: I don't drink cocktails very often and I've never made any of them aside from my weekly Kentucky Mule (made with bourbon instead of the vodka in the Moscow Mule) which my husband and I used to enjoy at the end of each work week on Fridays and we kept up the tradition after we retired. I picked Buzzworthy off the new books table at the library because of the fun way it was presented with the easy to read recipes and the colorful illustrations. I am familiar with the books/essays/poems/short stories of over half of these female writers and am interested in reading works by many of the others.
About the cocktails, I doubt I will make any of them. For one thing most have specific and, to my mind, obscure ingredients. And since I don't have a well-stocked liquor cabinet, it would cost a mint to buy the ingredients. For example, if I were to make the 'Isabel Allende' I'd need to buy pisco (a liquor from Peru), creme de violette (a violet flavored liquor), and orgeat syrup (like liquid marzipan -- almond flavored), micro dried and edible flowers. The only ingredient I'm familiar with is the lime. Just because I won't make the cocktails doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading the recipes. It was fun to imagine what the drink might taste or look like, most were very exotic and delicious-sounding, or at I'd be curious to try them.
Lots of fun.
-Anne
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