'James Crowden is Britain's best cider writer ... Cider Country is the book we've all been waiting for.' Oz Clarke Join James Crowden as he embarks on a journey to distil the ancient origins of cider, uncovering a rich culture and philosophy that has united farmer, maker and drinker for millennia. LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 ANDRE SIMON FOOD AND DRINK AWARD Cidermaking has been at the heart of country life for hundreds of years. But the fascinating story of how this drink came into existence and why it became so deeply rooted in the nation's psyche has never been told. In order to answer these questions, James Crowden traces an elusive history stretching back to the ancient, myth-infused civilisations of the Mediterranean and the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan. Meeting cider experts, farmers and historians, he unearths the surprising story of an apple that travelled from east to west and proved irresistible to everyone who tasted it. Upon its arrival in Britain, monks, pirates and politicians formed a pioneering and evangelical fan base, all seeking the company of a drink that might guide them through uncertain times. But the nation's love-affair with cider didn't fully blossom until after the reformation, when the thirst for knowledge about the drink was at its peak. This infatuation with experimentation would lead to remarkable innovations and the creation of a 'sparkling cider', a technique that pre-dated Dom Perignon's champagne by forty years. Turning to the present day, Crowden meets the next generation of cider makers and unearths a unique philosophy that has been shared through the ages. In the face of real challenges, these enterprising cider makers are still finding new ways to produce this golden drink that is enjoyed by so many. Spanning centuries and continents, Cider Country tells the story of our country through the culture, craft and consumption of our most iconic rural drink.

Raise your spirits and toast Saint Nick! Hot gin toddies. Smoking rosemary old fashioneds. A "wet" Advent calendar. Now you can experience Christmas the way it was meant to be celebrated: with festive cocktails and a lively history of Saint Nicholas and other saints! Michael Foley, author of Drinking with the Saints, presents holiday drink recipes; beer, wine, and cider recommendations; and witty instruction on how to honor the saints in this exquisite gift book that will make your Christmas more spirited than ever before. "With lively stories and delicious drink recipes, this book takes us on a rollicking journey through the lives of the saints. What a fun and fabulous way to engage with your faith during the holidays." - Jennifer Fulwiler, author of One Beautiful Dream and host of the Jennifer Fulwiler Show on the Catholic Channel

This book is an introduction to the history of alcoholic drink in England from the end of the Middle Ages to the present day. Treating the subject thematically, it covers who drank, what they drank, how much, who produced and sold drink, the places where it was enjoyed and the meanings which drinking had for people. It also looks at the varied opposition to drinking and the ways in which it has been regulated and policed. As a social and cultural history, it examines the place of drink in society and how social developments have affected its history and what it meant to individuals and groups as a cultural practice. Covering an extended period in time, this book takes in the important changes brought about by the Reformation and the processes of industrialization and urbanization. This volume also focuses on drink in relation to class and gender and the importance of global developments, along with the significance of regional and local difference. Whilst a work of history, it draws upon the insights of a range of other disciplines which have together advanced our understanding of alcohol. The focus is England, but it acknowledges the importance of comparison with the experience of other countries in furthering our understanding of England's particular experience. This book argues for the centrality of drink in English society throughout the period under consideration, whilst emphasizing the ways in which its use, abuse and how they have been experienced and perceived have changed at different historical moments. It is the first scholarly work which covers the history of drink in England in all its aspects over such an extended period of time. Written in a lively and approachable style, this book is suitable for those who study social and cultural history, as well as those with an interest in the history of drink in England.

In 2019, the Negroni turned 100 years old, and it's more popular than ever. The drink's classic proportions are equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, making it an easy cocktail to order and to make on your own. The Negroni will give readers insight into the drink's origins in Italy (it started as a twist on the Americano), and the tools to make over 20 simple variations from drink experts and bartenders around the world. Here's the Negroni Frappe from the famed bar Dante in New York City; the Negroni Spagliato from Bar Basso in Milan, where the gin is replaced with prosecco; and the author's own version, which goes heavier on the gin and lighter on the vermouth. Included will be details on garnish, bitters, tools, glassware; a section on the importance of the vermouth used; interviews with bartenders from around the world; where to get the best Negroni; and so much more. Beautiful original photography of the drinks along with archival imagery of famous Negroni lovers - like Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles - and vintage liquor ads make this gorgeous book an irresistible gift for anyone who loves to enjoy a Negroni.

Translated into English for the first time, the 1927 Cuban classic El Arte de Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Mas: The Art of Mixing a Cocktail & More documents the creative genius of the legendary Cuban cantineros. Within these pages you'll find 788 recipes that were shaken, stirred, thrown, and frappeed during the 1920s in the hotels, restaurants, casinos, bodegas, and bars of "the Little Paris of the Caribbean"-Havana, Cuba. A very rare book that has achieved legendary status amongst cocktail book collectors, the recipes found in El Arte have never been available in English, making this book an essential resource and a collectible on its own. Complete with its original illustrations and a foreword by Cuban rum and drinks historian Anistatia Miller, El Arte de Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Mas: The Art of Mixing a Cocktail & More is not merely a peek into Cuban cocktail history. El Arte demonstrates the Cuban passion for complex yet subtle flavours accentuated a hint of sweetness as well as the cantineros' awareness of their audience (both local and international) and of prevailing trends. That is a lesson that none of us should ever forget. Drinks and food must appeal to the people who consume them. It's a skill that Havana 's cantineros from those legendary days continue to teach us very well.

Originally published in 1937 by the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild, Caf Royal Cocktail Book compiled by William J Tarling offers a rare glimpse into the wide array of drinks offered in London bars between the two world wars. Tarling, head bartender at the Caf Royal during had two goals. He wanted to extend this resource to consumers. He also wanted to raise funds for the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild Sickness Fund and the Caf Royal Sports Club Fund. Thus, he drew from the recipes previously compiled for Approved Cocktails, and added more of his own. He also collected many more original recipes from his contemporaries. The result was an outstanding and timely book. It did more than gather recipes, it captured a boom time in the history of cocktails, glass by glass. Sadly, there was only one printing and it became an unobtainable rarity, locking away a time capsule of drinks and knowledge. Reproduced in collaboration with the UKBG, Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiritueux, and Mixellany Limited, this facsimile edition unlocks that knowledge for a new generation of consumers and bartenders around the world. Within these pages are some of the earliest known recipes for drinks made with tequila and vodka as well as memorable concoctions made with absinthe and other recently revived ingredients-an essential addition to every cocktail book library.

A Perfect Gift for the Cocktail Lover Inspiring, practical, and designed for entertaining, this beautifully designed deluxe box set includes two cocktail books and matching coasters-- The Negroni Book: More than 30 recipes, including both the classic that achieved cocktail perfection in Florence, Italy, and dozens of variations, deviations, and delicious reinterpretations. The Martini Book: A celebration of the timeless, sophisticated, and iconic cocktail of choice among generations of writers, actors, politicians, bon vivants--and of course, 007--and more than 30 recipes. 8 Coasters: Serve your perfect drinks in style. Eight cocktail-bar quality coasters are included in the set, four Negroni and four Martini, each featuring a striking image over a strong cork base.

'It's hard not to love John Wright ... This book is full of wit and wisdom - a delight for the fireside armchair' BBC Countryfile What could possibly beat a cool pint of beer down the pub or a lazy glass of wine at your favourite bar? The answer is: home-brewed beer or your very own brand of wine. With this, the twelfth in the River Cottage Handbook series, the inimitable John Wright shows exactly how easy it is to get started. You don't need masses of space to make alcohol at home, and if you follow the simple instructions, you won't be faced with exploding bottles in the cellar. But don't forget, it's all about experimentation and finding out what works for you. Booze is divided up by alcohol type, from beer, cider and wine to herbal spirits and fruit liqueurs. Each section starts with an introduction to the basic techniques, methods and other useful information, before giving recipes for delicious tipples like rhubarb wine, sparkling elderflower wine, mead, cherry plum wine, orange beer, lager, real ginger beer, sweet cider, zubrovka vodka, amber spirits, rose infusions, blackberry whiskey, pomegranate rum, chestnut liqueur, mulled cider and there's even a hangover cure thrown in for good measure. With an introduction from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and full-colour photographs as well as illustrations, Booze is a home-brewer's book with a kick and features a directory at the back of the book where you can find instructions on purchasing the best home-brewing kits.

A spirited new translation of a forgotten classic, shot through with timeless wisdom Is there an art to drinking alcohol? Can drinking ever be a virtue? The Renaissance humanist and neoclassical poet Vincent Obsopoeus (ca. 1498-1539) thought so. In the winelands of sixteenth-century Germany, he witnessed the birth of a poisonous new culture of bingeing, hazing, peer pressure, and competitive drinking. Alarmed, and inspired by the Roman poet Ovid's Art of Love, he wrote The Art of Drinking (De Arte Bibendi) (1536), a how-to manual for drinking with pleasure and discrimination. In How to Drink, Michael Fontaine offers the first proper English translation of Obsopoeus's text, rendering his poetry into spirited, contemporary prose and uncorking a forgotten classic that will appeal to drinkers of all kinds and (legal) ages. Arguing that moderation, not abstinence, is the key to lasting sobriety, and that drinking can be a virtue if it is done with rules and limits, Obsopoeus teaches us how to manage our drinking, how to win friends at social gatherings, and how to give a proper toast. But he also says that drinking to excess on occasion is okay-and he even tells us how to win drinking games, citing extensive personal experience. Complete with the original Latin on facing pages, this sparkling work is as intoxicating today as when it was first published.

The first book to comprehensively document the proper steps to opening, stocking, and operating a bar, Harry Johnson's Bartenders' Manual is a mandatory volume for those in the bartending profession. Originally published in 1882, Johnson revised and expanded the book another two times as his own knowledge of the business increased. Contains the first published Martini recipe and the ancestor of the Dry Martini, the Marguerite.

Mead is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey and water with yeast. A glass of lightly chilled mead on a summer's evening is a splendid delight. And yet, of all the crafts of mankind, mead-making is certainly one of the oldest. It is likely that mead was made even before the wheel was invented as stone-age cave paintings depict the collection of honey from bee colonies. The drink made from honey became a staple of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Medieval and Renaissance Britain. This practical book will inspire you to take up this admirable craft. It includes chapters on honey selection, mead-making techniques, and forty-two recipes for mead, melomel (using honey mixed with fruit juice), pyment (honey mixed with grapes), hippocras (honey mixed with grapes and herbs), metheglin (spiced medicinal mead), cyser (honey mixed with apples) and other honey drinks.

Throughout history, waves of invaders have coveted the northeast corner of France: Attila the Hun in the fifth century, the English in the Hundred Years War, the Prussians in the nineteenth century. Yet this region - which historians say has suffered more battles and wars than any other place on earth - is also the birthplace of one thing the entire world equates with good times, friendship and celebration: champagne.

Champagne is the story of the world's favourite wine. It tells how a sparkling beverage that became the toast of society during the Belle Epoque emerged after World War I as a global icon of fine taste and good living. The book celebrates the gutsy, larger-than-life characters whose proud determination nurtured and preserved the land and its grapes throughout centuries of conflict.

Strap yourself in for a barrel of laughs and a party to remember with this incredible collection of booze-based games from around the world. This comprehensive guide gives you all the essentials required to play, including difficulty ratings, a "what you need" section and clear game instructions. Don't worry if you're new to drinking games - all you need is a generous amount of your favourite alcoholic drink, a few common household items and the desire for some outrageous fun with your friends. But this is no ordinary collection of boozy shenanigans - it contains the collective knowledge of beer chuggers, gin swiggers and wine sippers from across the globe. Learn how to wear "Chicken Goggles" like the Aussies, beat the Brits at "The Horse Race" and "Slip It In" like an American. And that's not all: while you're waiting for your turn, you can distract and amuse yourself with one of the many random drinking facts and myths found throughout the book - that is, if the room isn't already spinning. Forget "Beer Pong" - these are the world's CRAZIEST drinking games!

Dolly Perkins and Jack Larkin have grown up in the notorious gin palaces of Birmingham.It's a world of happiness and friendship, but also violence and poverty. Now that Dolly runs the Daydream Gin Palace on Gin Barrel Lane she can finally control her own destiny, but sometimes fate still plays its hand. Keen to expand her empire, Dolly and Jack take on a new pub, but they are in for a shock when a foul smell in one of the bedrooms turns out to come from a body hidden in the wall. As the police hunt for their suspect, rumours abound, spread by the local urchins - happy to be used as runners for a little bit of food and a coin or two. But rumours can be dangerous, and as one of the worst winters on record covers everything in snow, Dolly and Jack have to fight for the lives they have made for themselves, and for the urchins that they have come to think of as family. Will the arrival of a new baby on Gin Barrel Lane bring the promise of new hope, or will the long-awaited thaw uncover new secrets and new tragedies... The Queen of Black Country sagas is back on Gin Barrel Lane with a rip-roaring, heart-warming, page-turning story of family, friendship and beating the odds. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews. Praise for Lindsey Hutchinson: 'A great story with a great mix of characters, well written and keeps you hooked with each page turn!' Sarah Davies, NetGalley 'A wonderful read ... The author writes so well, it's a really hard novel to put down!' Grace Smith, NetGalley. 'Make sure to read this book where you won't be disturbed because once it gets going, you won't want to put it down' Andrea Ruiz, NetGalley 'A very poignant, feel-good-factor novel' Shelia Easson, NetGalley 'Excellent story!' Stephanie Collins, NetGalley 'The story will linger in your mind long after you finish it' The Avid Reader

'James Crowden is Britain's best cider writer ... Cider Country is the book we've all been waiting for.' Oz Clarke Join James Crowden as he embarks on a journey to distil the ancient origins of cider, uncovering a rich culture and philosophy that has united farmer, maker and drinker for millennia. LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 ANDRE SIMON FOOD AND DRINK AWARD Cidermaking has been at the heart of country life for hundreds of years. But the fascinating story of how this drink came into existence and why it became so deeply rooted in the nation's psyche has never been told. In order to answer these questions, James Crowden traces an elusive history stretching back to the ancient, myth-infused civilisations of the Mediterranean and the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan. Meeting cider experts, farmers and historians, he unearths the surprising story of an apple that travelled from east to west and proved irresistible to everyone who tasted it. Upon its arrival in Britain, monks, pirates and politicians formed a pioneering and evangelical fan base, all seeking the company of a drink that might guide them through uncertain times. But the nation's love-affair with cider didn't fully blossom until after the reformation, when the thirst for knowledge about the drink was at its peak. This infatuation with experimentation would lead to remarkable innovations and the creation of a 'sparkling cider', a technique that pre-dated Dom Perignon's champagne by forty years. Turning to the present day, Crowden meets the next generation of cider makers and unearths a unique philosophy that has been shared through the ages. In the face of real challenges, these enterprising cider makers are still finding new ways to produce this golden drink that is enjoyed by so many. Spanning centuries and continents, Cider Country tells the story of our country through the culture, craft and consumption of our most iconic rural drink.