Sunday, June 16, 2019

Book Review - Around the World in 80 Cocktails by Chad Parkhill

A colorful cover and a catchy title got my attention when I saw this book the first time. I have seen titles like "Around the world in 80 days", "Around the world in 80 trains", "Around the world in 80 Dates" but 80 cocktails. That was completely new for me. So curiosity built up inside me. I like to try various combinations of mocktails at home, so when I saw this book, I actually saw it as an opportunity to try 80 new drinks. I expected it as a normal recipe book but it turned out as a complete surprise for me. I was flat by its artwork.


Book Blurb
Around the World in 80 Cocktails celebrates the globetrotting history of the cocktail through eighty different iconic drinks – each of which has its own story to tell. Bartender and writer Chad Parkhill takes you on a whirlwind tour of the places that have shaped the history of the cocktail from its birth to the present day, with recipes so you can follow along at home.
You'll learn about the surprising military history behind the bubbly, vivacious Venetian Spritz; how the G&T moved from India to England (and why the best in the world are now made in Spain); and how France's Burgundy region turned tragedy into triumph with the Kir. Accompanied by gorgeous vintage-style illustrations that evoke antique travel posters, these stories and recipes are an ode to the joys of travel, history, and drinking.
Coming to the text content, as the title suggests the book discusses 80 well-known cocktails from various cultures & countries. Each cocktail is dedicated to a chapter, which covered history or basic facts about that drink. It also covers recipes and ingredients required for that cocktail. If you love booze you will enjoy these drinks, but if you are a nonalcoholic (nondrinker) you may substitute flavored soft drink and convert it to a tasty mocktail. I tried a few you may also. Check out the book to know more.

Those who are not aware:
A cocktail is an alcoholic drink.
A mocktail is a nonalcoholic drink
Let's take a review of artwork. This is I am discussing specifically. The beauty of the book is the artwork. The illustrator Alice Oehr has given wonderful depictions of each cocktail along with the culture or place it belongs to. The culture is visible in the background of each chapter.

Good points
  • A perfect combination of art & culture
  • Light in nature,. If you like a chapter read it, if you don't, skip it.
  • The recipe described are easy to try
  • You can use it for a showcase or as a coffee table book
  • Good quality of pages and graphics
In and all, I liked it. And yes I am giving 5 stars to art and 4.5 stars to the book.

Book can be found at Amazon & Flipkart
Review from other readers can be found at GoodReads

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