Because science and technology have opened new avenues for vintners, our taste in wine has grown ever more diverse. Wine is now the subject of careful chemistry and global demand. Paul Lukacs recounts the journey of wine through history how wine acquired its social cachet, how vintners discovered the twin importance of place and grape, and how a basic need evolved into a realm of choice.

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Ever since its invention in the late 18th century, the cocktail has been a global traveller. Born in England and raised in America, a cocktail can take influences from all over the world and mix them up into exciting new combinations. This book celebrates this globe-trotting history through 80 cocktails - each with its own story to tell. Bartender and writer Chad Parkhill takes you on a whirlwind global tour, with recipes designed to be made at home. You'll learn about the surprising military history behind the bubbly 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, these stories and recipes are an ode to the joys of travel, history, and drinking.

From their restaurant in Speyside the authors have created a range of recipes, each using Scotch whisky to compliment or contrast the food.

A richly illustrated account of the story of ancient viniculture The history of civilization is, in many ways, the history of wine. This book is the first comprehensive account of the earliest stages of the history and prehistory of viniculture, which extends back into the Neolithic period and beyond. Elegantly written and richly illustrated, Ancient Wine opens up whole new chapters in the fascinating story of wine by drawing on recent archaeological discoveries, molecular and DNA sleuthing, and the writings and art of ancient peoples. In a new afterword, the author discusses exciting recent developments in the understanding of ancient wine, including a new theory of how viniculture came to central and northern Europe.

Can't remember what wine your mum loves? Give her this book and she can try them all . . . The perfect gift for wine lovers and anyone looking to improve their understanding of the world of wine. A Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year Red or white? Cabernet or Merlot? Medium or full-bodied? Drinking great wine isn't hard, but finding a great wine is much easier when you understand the fundamentals. Using visual infographics, charts and maps, the expert founders of Wine Folly have created the ultimate wine resource packed with countless facts, information and guidance. From tips on which glasses to use, and easy-to-grasp flavour wheels for each wine type, to simple tasting and food-pairing notes, Wine Folly is a fascinating modern and colourful guide. This accessible book will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to enjoy great wines in a whole new way.

Gin: The Essential Guide for Gin Aficionados celebrates the clear spirit in all its guises; as a straight drink, the increasingly popular flavoured brands, as a base for cocktails and a cooking ingredient. It describes the history of the spirit; how it is made and how the method of distillation has changed across the centuries; the variations of gin; classic cocktail recipes; where to buy the premier brands; and tasting notes. Lavishly illustrated and written in an easy-to-read style, this book will go down as well as the most lovingly created Gin & Tonic. Few drinks can trace its history back more than half a millennium, but the Dutch genever (or jenever) is a clear predecessor of the modern gin distilled today. Gin's history makes for fascinating reading, from how it grew and faded in popularity through the ages to the types of people who drank it and the story of the G&T (surely the world's best known cocktail). According to Henry McNulty, Vogue's legendary wine and spirits columnist, 'Gin is the bad boy of the spirits world.' He may be correct, but the fact remains that gin is one of the world's most popular spirits.

In this collection, Natalie Jacob, experienced NYC bartender and founder of the blog Arsenic Lace, brings together the best drinks from the midcentury period, the original era of cocktail parties, tiki bars and martini lunches. Get tips on making professional cocktails and flavoured syrups, as well as building a swanky home bar. Become a pro with egg whites for flips and sours, and master familiar favourites like the Mai Tai, Monte Carlo and more. Experience glamorous simplicity with sophisticated drinks like the Good Fellow, an elegantly layered blend of Vermouth, bitters, bourbon and Calisaya, a bittersweet orange liqueur popular with pre-prohibition drinkers. Keep it cool with tropical beverages harking back to the 1950's tiki craze, such as the irresistible Missionary's Downfall: rum, brandy and honey syrup brightened with a refreshing dash of lime, and served up over crushed ice. Natalie mixes it up with her own signature midcentury inspired cocktails. Her original Flying Down to Rio, made with cachaca, features warm notes of vanilla, mixed with earthy Thai basil and coconut cream. This book is the perfect gift for cocktail aficionados looking to hone their bartending skills and drink up the history behind iconic recipes. It's also an approachable guide for beginners, with insider advice on how to shake, stir and blend every recipe with precision and style. This book will have 75 recipes and 75 photographs.

"As comprehensive as it gets" THE NEW YORK TIMES A tequila revolution is taking place, with more and more people learning to appreciate the rich culture, craft and flavour to be found in this unique spirit. The Tequila Dictionary is the drinker's guide to this wonderful world. With hundreds of entries on tequila and agave spirits covering everything from history, culture and ingredients to distilling techniques, cocktails and the many varieties of tequila, spirits expert Eric Zandona explores the truth behind this truly captivating drink.

Many wine drinkers wish they knew more without having to understand every nuance or go to expensive wine tastings. In her new book, Jancis Robinson, the leading international authority on wine, grants the wishes of would-be wine experts the world over. With The 24-Hour Wine Expert, anyone can learn all that is really important about wine in a single day. In her pithy, approachable, comprehensive guide, Robinson shares her expertise with authority, wit, and approachability, tackling questions such as how to select the right bottle at retail, what wine labels signify, how to understand the properties of color and aroma, and how to match food and wine. Robinson's proposition is irresistible: In just 24 hours, anyone can become a wine expert. So pour a glass and get reading! Note: the simulated wine stains on the cover of the book are a design element and are intentional.

THE PERFECT GIFT FOR ANYONE WHO ENJOYS A TIPPLE . . . OR TWO . . . OR TEN! Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there's drink there's drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. Tracing humankind's love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, it answers every possible question: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Romans got rat-arsed, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never like the movies. This is a history of the world at its inebriated best. 'This book is a laugh riot. I mean the way the author has presented it is hilarious and to the point' Goodreads Reviewer 'Highly entertaining. Cheers! Bottoms up! Good health!' Goodreads Reviewer 'It can make a good gift for someone with a sense of humour and appreciation for the magical powers of alcohol' Goodreads Reviewer

Whisky is Scotland's national drink and has been for over five hundred years, since then becoming a global phenomenon. It is a drink that is a profound and important part of Scottish life and culture but, unlike other countries and their national libations, it has hardly been used in food. Rachel McCormack is going to change that with this book. Limiting whisky to a drink, she believes, is similar to the traditional Presbyterian attitude to sex; it should only be done with the lights off and in the missionary position. Rachel believes that there is an entire Karma Sutraof whisky use out there and she has put it in this book. Interspersing an engaging mix of anecdotes, history and information on distillers and recipes, this book will appeal to everyone from the cooking whisky connoisseur, to the novice whisky learner looking for some guidance on what to eat and cook. Rachel travels the length and breadth of Scotland, discovering a myriad of unique and interesting people and facts about this remarkable drink, with interviews with the key people who create it around the country, as she visits the famous distilleries of her country, as well as the more home-grown variety.

Celebrity chef Stuart O'Keeffe and comedian Amy Phillips razz the Real Housewives in this gorgeous cookbook filled with recipes inspired by iconic moments in the franchise's rich history. With a foreword by Andy Cohen. "Cook It, Spill It, Throw It is an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience in a world we can't escape (but let's face it, we don't want to!)." -from the foreword by Andy Cohen Trends come and go, but watching rich women drink and catfight is forever. Which is why after more than a decade of airing, the Real Housewives phenomenon continues to reign supreme in the pop culture stratosphere. Week after week, season after season, loyal fans watch the thrilling drama-the backstabbing, the gossiping, the screaming, the table flipping, the wine tossing-unfold. Cook It, Spill It, Throw It is a cookbook created specifically for Housewives fans. Chef Stuart O'Keeffe and comedian Amy Phillips-long-time devotees themselves-have dreamed up an inviting menu served with a side of delicious snark. Inspired by the series and its stars, the dishes and drinks evoke familiar moments of chaos from the franchise. Whether you're looking to make Ponytail Pulled Pork, or you want to comfort a friend in the Caicos with Eggs a Lu'Francais, there's a meal for you-and there are definitely plenty of drinks (including Henny-thing Can Happen and the classic Singer Stinger Sipper). Featuring gorgeous original photography and equally gorgeous recipes, Cook It, Spill It, Throw It is the must-have cookbook and companion for every Housewives addict.

Offering philosophical insights into the popular morning brew, Coffee -- Philosophy for Everyone kick starts the day with an entertaining but critical discussion of the ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and culture of coffee. * Matt Lounsbury of pioneering business Stumptown Coffee discusses just how good coffee can be * Caffeine-related chapters cover the ethics of the coffee trade, the metaphysics of coffee and the centrality of the coffee house to the public sphere * Includes a foreword by Donald Schoenholt, President at Gillies Coffee Company

With 60 recipes, Three Ingredient Cocktails demonstrate that all the best cocktails are made with no more than three ingredients - think martini, old fashioned and margaritas. Divided by main ingredient - gin, vodka, tequila, whisky, rum and sparkling wine - each drink can be whipped up in five minutes or less, with simple snack suggestions at the end of each chapter to pair with them. Three Ingredient Cocktails shows you also how to make the most of a simple home bar set up, and how to turn your living room into an on-trend cocktail lounge. With make ahead and batch cocktails, as well as renowned classics, this book is everything you need to bring elegance and style to your cocktail hour.

A step-by-step guide to creating fifty classic and contemporary cocktails, without the need for cocktail-making equipment or tricky techniques.

Whether you're looking for a refreshing drink in the garden or a quick night cap, Mixed in Minutes contains a range of fuss-free cocktails for every time of the day. From an espresso martini to the perfect mojito, a frozen margarita to a boozy hot chocolate, you can recreate your favourite cocktails at home using these quick and simple recipes.

Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photography, this easy-to-follow cocktail book includes:

• Simple instructions for creating the perfect cocktail, without a shaker or strainer
• Cocktail-making hacks - no muddling or shaking required
• Recommendations for garnishes and creative twists
• Average cost of each cocktail
• Recommended pairing for every recipe to spritz your drink and halve its alcohol content

Easy to use and filled with a variety of accessible, delicious and bar-quality recipes, Mixed in Minutes is the go-to cocktail book that makes a lovely gift for your friends or yourself.

'Excellent' - Susy Atkins, the Telegraph For everyone and anyone who wants to understand more about gin, this is the definitive guide - covering the best gins the world has to offer, history and production methods, and the countries that have helped make gin a global success story. Never has there been a more striking revolution in the world of distilled spirits than the current renaissance of gin. With small craft distilleries popping up all over the world, from Texas to Tasmania, more varieties and techniques being used than ever before, and a tapestry of tastes from light and citrusy to big bold savoury notes, gin's appeal is extraordinarily wide and varied. From gin made in small batches from local botanicals, through to large facilities which make some of the world's most recognized gin brands, World Atlas of Gin looks at everything from the botanical to the bottle: how and where botanicals are grown and harvested and their role within the flavour of gin; producers and the stories behind their brands; exactly where, and how, gins are made; and, country by country, the best examples to try. Global cocktails are covered too, including the history and country of origin of some of the best-known mixed gin drinks.

Explore the unique flavors of flowers. Elegant, edible flowers are becoming more accessible every day—and they taste as good as they look. This curated collection of 41 delightful recipes combine the playful creativity of fashion, the deliciousness of food, and the beauty of flowers in one gorgeous glass. Whether you're throwing a baby shower, hosting a Mother's Day brunch, celebrating a wedding, or simply entertaining guests, there's something for everyone, with our without alcohol, including:

• Iced Lavender Café au Lait

• Rose Petal Almond Milk

• Dandelion Tea Cinnamon Cappuccino

• Hibiscus Old Fashioned

• Plum Rosewater Gin and Tonic

• Orange Blossom Moscow Mule

Learn how to create floral pantry item staples to create a scrumptious and sophisticated cocktail of your own, and embark on a new culinary adventure. This garden-party eye candy also includes practical tips on where to buy edible flowers, whether to choose fresh or dried flowers, how to grow edible flowers at home, and how to use florals in other recipes.

A delightful romp through America's Golden Age of Cocktails The decades following the American Civil War burst with invention-they saw the dawn of the telephone, the motor car, electric lights, the airplane-but no innovation was more welcome than the beverage heralded as the "cocktail." The Gilded Age, as it came to be known, was the Golden Age of Cocktails, giving birth to the classic Manhattan and martini that can be ordered at any bar to this day. Scores of whiskey drinks, cooled with ice chips or cubes that chimed against the glass, proved doubly pleasing when mixed, shaken, or stirred with special flavorings, juices, and fruits. The dazzling new drinks flourished coast to coast at sporting events, luncheons, and balls, on ocean liners and yachts, in barrooms, summer resorts, hotels, railroad train club cars, and private homes. From New York to San Francisco, celebrity bartenders rose to fame, inventing drinks for exclusive universities and exotic locales. Bartenders poured their liquid secrets for dancing girls and such industry tycoons as the newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst and the railroad king "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt. Cecelia Tichi offers a tour of the cocktail hours of the Gilded Age, in which industry, innovation, and progress all take a break to enjoy the signature beverage of the age. Gilded Age Cocktails reveals the fascinating history behind each drink as well as bartenders' formerly secret recipes. Though the Gilded Age cocktail went "underground" during the Prohibition era, it launched the first of many generations whose palates thrilled to a panoply of artistically mixed drinks.

From European favourites such as Mastichato Chios, which saved 2,000 Greeks from a bloody massacre at the hands of vengeful Turks, to legendary drinks such as Amarula, invented by African elephants; from classic cocktail ingredients like Midori, the bright green Japanese melon drink launched at the wrap party for Saturday Night Fever at Studio 54, to student stalwart Jagermeister, dreamt up by a confidant of Herman Goering and hugely popular among senior Nazis, Slippery Tipples tells the stories behind the word's most extraordinary drinks. Alongside a country-by-country guide to murky and mysterious booze and dozens of cocktail recipes is a series of easy to follow recipes for making your own liqueurs and spirits. If you would like to concoct your own fruit brandies or make a drop of traditional full-strength Pimms then this is the book for you. Joseph Piercy was born in Brighton. After spending far too long at university studying Russian Literature and Creative Writing, Joseph embarked upon a journey which took him to various parts of the world in an honest attempt to avoid anything faintly resembling a proper job. He has enjoyed an occasional drink or two along the road.