I’ve recently read a couple of books about drinks, and I felt like they should be included in the same post. There’s something here for everyone:

one book about handmade cocktails for the extravagant, creative ones
one book about the legendarily strong Absinthe for the hardcore feaster
and one book about tea – for the safe players!

I myself like the thought of all these, and I’d choose depending on my mood.

To learn my thoughts about the books themselves, read further! 😉

‘Handcrafted Cocktails: The Mixologist’s Guide to Classic Drinks for Morning, Noon & Night’ by Molly Wellmann

(Goodreads/Amazon)

This book turned out to be a bit different from what I expected it to be, and that’s both a good and a bad thing. In one way, I didn’t feel after reading it like I could actually make these cocktails – though that might not be the book’s complexity (it’s written in a very, maybe even too simple style) or my lack of skills, but the fact that most cocktails recommend some ingredients I’ve never ever seen on the shelves of the stores here. I’d say it’s written more for actual bartenders/professionals than the lay(wo)men, and I felt a bit disappointed because of this. Otherwise, this was the perfect book to read if one wants to know a bit more about the history of drinking cocktails. There were a lot of background stories which I’d never even heard about, never thought about, but were quite interested. It was light, didn’t want to be more than it is, yet it gave valuable and interesting information. The author’s enthusiasm and professionalism came through the pages.

I recommend this book, but only if you are interested in fun facts about cocktails, or if you’re a beginner bartender, and not really if you want to learn how to create these alcoholic wonders in your home.

I gave this book 3 stars.

I got this book from F+W Media/Betterway Home via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.

‘Absinthe: The Exquisite Elixir’ by Betina J. Wittels, T.A. Breaux

(Goodreads/Amazon)

Apart from the nice cover, I wanted to read this book because having read the blurb I immediately thought: true, what do I really know about absinthe? I mean, apart from the fact that anyone who’d dared to drink it when I was in my late teens was a badass?

This book was way more than I thought it would be, though. It doesn’t only contain a detailed description of the drink and its history, but also many stories about people who either drank or produced it. People completely unknown by me, but more who were/are famous, and I’ve heard a lot about. Not these absinthe-related stories, though.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about absinthe, but would also enjoy a feel of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century through it!

I gave this book 5 stars.

I got this book from Fulcrum Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

‘Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide to Growing and Harvesting Flavorful Teas in Your Backyard’ by Jodi Helmer

(Goodreads/Amazon)

What’s better than reading a book about different teas while slowly sipping a huge mug of hot tea yourself?

Well, a lot of things – it was a pretty nice experience for me nonetheless. This is a basic guide to different plants that are possible to transform into tea/infusion, and there are also a couple of tips for tea brewing and recipes so you have some ground you can star off. There was a time while reading about the leaves and fruits and roots and plants when I felt more and more bored with the (otherwise very vague and not too long) botanical descriptions, but when I started to think I should put it all away, the book suddenly turned to other stuff: the actual tea making. And that saved it for me all the way! I’m not sure I will ever grow my own tea leaves on the window seal, but it’s nice to know that I probably could.

I rated this books 4 stars.

I got this book from Fox Chapel Publishing/CompanionHouse Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I bet you got in the mood for drinking something after all this. I know I did!

Okay… I won’t hold you back…go. Make something for yourself. At least a tea. Or maybe something stronger. Whatever suits your mood!

Hugs 🙂