 "Straight
Up or On the Rocks"
by William Grimes
North Point Press, 2001
That martini you're
knocking back right now...do you know how it came to be? How about the
Manhattan, the margarita, or even the Mai Tai? Straight Up Or On
the Rocks explains the history of our most cherished cocktails
from the pilgrims and their love of beer, to flappers and their bathtub
gin, to modern-day swingers and their dry vodka martinis. Not only does
this book talk about the drinks we all know and love, but it also tells
about the drinks that were important at the time but have since faded into
history. Each generation it seems has its own favorite base for their cocktails
and nothing speaks more of an era's psyche than what they drink. Grimes
says that the cocktail as we know it could have only been created in America.
The cocktail, with it's combination of innovation and constant evolution,
the author says, matches the American spirit perfectly.
Straight Up Or On the Rocks is
not just a social history but is also a handy bartender's guide. Every
drink featured in the book (and some extras) are spelled out in the back.
Happy reading...and happy drinking!
Grimes was recently interviewed
by your truly as part of WILL-Radio's features program
"Sidetrack".
Click
here to listen to the program.
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