A new slew of mixologically-minded books is headed our way, offering everything from martinis to twists on palomas and pina coladas. There’s even a volume on “dusty collecting” — turns out that’s a hobby, not a housekeeping judgment.
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Some of the books in the pile are not our cup of tea, so if you’re looking for, say, a cocktail coloring book that touts its “thick lines” and “large print” or label-specific books touting their own brands, such as the Tito’s vodka volume authored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, you’re on your own.
These three, on the other hand, have broad appeal.
Dusty Booze
The new “Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits” dives into the world of vintage spirits collectors. (Abrams Books)
Imagine an Indiana Jones tale — if the golden idol was a bottle of post-Prohibition bourbon and the role of gigantic, skull-crushing boulder was played by rampaging hipsters on a Pappy Van Winkle hunt. Brooklyn journalist Aaron Goldfarb dives into the world of a very specific type of treasure seeker in his new “Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits” (Abrams Books, $27).
The book offers a rollicking read as it chases well-heeled obsessives searching out decades-old — and very dusty — bottles of whiskey, rum and other spirits from estate sales and old, almost-forgotten liquor stores. A whiskey-filled chess set figures prominently. So do Elvis decanters. And mojitos made with 1940s rum. “Dusty Booze” is a book for history lovers, global market trend watchers and, of course, Pappy devotees.
Sparkling
The very opposite of dusty, sparkling wine is a crowd pleaser in any situation, whether you’re toasting, celebrating or brunching. Penned by Brooklyn-based Elva Ramirez, “Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion” (Union Square, $20) lands on May 7, just in time for Mother’s Day brunch.
Ramirez calls sparkling wine “the liquid symbol of celebration,” but notes that those bubbles can also take a starring role in cocktails like — step aside, Aperol Spritz — the Sbagliato, a Negroni that subs Champagne for the usual gin. You’ll find recipes for that as well as the Group Text, Glamazonian Airways, the Vice Versa and 70 other sips — plus suitable syrups, glamorous garnishes and tasty bites.
Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero, the founders of Speed Rack, a high-speed mixology competition for female bartenders, are the writers behind the new “A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood.” (Abrams Books)
A Quick Drink
In the great Venn diagram of life, mixology and Brooklyn have always had major overlap — and we’re nearly three for three with this book lineup. Ivy Mix, who owns Brooklyn’s James Beard-nominated Leyenda bar, launched Speed Rack in 2011 with a friend, New York City bartender Lynnette Marrero. If Marrero’s name is familiar, you may have encountered her mixology classes on MasterClass or her ready-to-drink spritzes under the Delola label, a partnership with Jennifer Lopez.
But Speed Rack’s the big thing. The high speed, international, female-only cocktail competition raises money for breast cancer charities, and it’s the inspiration behind Mix and Marrero’s forthcoming book, “A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood” (Abrams Books, $27.50). Due out April 30, the book offers cocktail recipes from 80 Speed Rack competitors, from TikTok-famous Vancouver bartender Kaitlyn Stewart and her herbaceous twist on a Paloma to San Francisco’s Karen Tartt and her Pina Colada-inspired Liquid Vacation. A portion of the book royalties will go to breast cancer charities.
New York City bartender Lynnette Marrero is the co-founder of Speed Rack, a high-speed cocktail competition for female mixologists, and co-author of the new “A Quick Drink,” due out April 30 from Abrams Books. (Courtesy Erick Medsker)
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