Baseball followers have been perpetuating, debating, and debunking myths for nearly two centuries, producing a treasury of baseball stories and "facts." Yet never before have these elements of baseball history been carefully scrutinized and compiled into one comprehensive work-until now. In Baseball Myths: Debating, Debunking, and Disproving Tales from the Diamond, award-winning researcher Bill Deane examines baseball legends-old and new. This book covers such legendary players as Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Pete Rose, and Derek Jeter, while also looking at lesser-known figures like Dummy Hoy, Grover Land, Wally Pipp, and Babe Herman-not to mention people who found fame in other fields, such as Civil War General Abner Doubleday, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, and comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Deane's original research and logic will educate, amuse, and often surprise readers, revealing the truth behind such legends as the inventor of baseball, the first black player in the major leagues, and even the origin of the hot dog. With photographs, stats, and more than 80 myths examined, this book is sure to fascinate everyone, from the casual baseball fan to lifelong devotees of the sport.

Never before has there been a book focusing on the theme of tea as it relates to both the fine and decorative arts. With over 330 beautiful color images, this book explores the history of tea with special attention to the impact its popularity has had on the development of porcelain, furniture, silver, and the other decorative objects employed in serving tea. Here are teapots, cups and saucers, kettle stands, tea caddies, silverware, and more, inspired both by the expense of the tea itself and the various social significances surrounding its consumption. The valued place of tea in society at all levels has also created a subject for the fine arts. From maritime paintings, to portraiture and still lifes, artists have captured the romance of tea through the works shown in this book. Images from top dealers, galleries, and collectors, representing some of the highest quality tea ware created, illustrate the fascinating and well researched text to please readers around the world.

Comprehensive and detailed, this is the first ever study of ancient beer and its distilling, consumption and characteristics

Examining evidence from Greek and Latin authors from 700 BC to AD 900, the book demonstrates the important technological as well as ideological contributions the Europeans made to beer throughout the ages.

The study is supported by textual and archaeological evidence and gives a fresh and fascinating insight into an aspect of ancient life that has fed through to modern society and which stands today as one of the world's most popular beverages.

Students of ancient history, classical studies and the history of food and drink will find this an useful and enjoyable read.

Consumer interest in tea has grown rapidly in recent years and continues to climb. Worldwide there are 25,000 cups of tea consumed every second - more than billion cups per day! For tea drinkers interested in the freshest flavour, growing the leaves at home is the ideal solution. Lucky for them, tea is not an exotic, hard-to-grow crop - it can be successfully grown anywhere that camellias can be grown. In Grow Your Own Tea, readers will learn how to cultivate, harvest, and process this venerable crop. Parks and Wolcott share details on how to get started; describe cultivation, long-term maintenance, and harvesting; show how to grow tea plants in containers; and describe how to process and store harvested tea leaves. Grow Your Own Tea includes information on how to produce white, green, oolong, and black teas.

The best-selling authors Christopher Shockey and Kirsten K. Shockey turn their expertise to the world of fermented beverages in the most comprehensive guide to home cidermaking available. With expert advice and clear, step-by-step instructions, The Big Book of Cidermaking equips readers with the skills they need to make the cider they want - whether sweet, dry, fruity, farmhouse-style, hopped, barrel-aged, or fortified. The Shockeys' years of experience cultivating an orchard and their experiments in producing their own ciders have led them to a master formula for cidermaking success, whether starting with apples fresh from the tree or working with store-bought juice. Readers explore in-depth the different phases of fermentation and the entire spectrum of complex flavour and style possibilities, with cider recipes ranging from cornelian cherry to ginger, and styles including New England, Spanish, and late-season ciders. For those invested in making use of every part of the apple, there's even a recipe for vinegar made from the skins and cores leftover after pressing. This thorough, thoughtful handbook is an empowering guide for every cidermaker, from the beginner seeking foundational techniques and tips to the intermediate cider crafter who wants to expand their skills.

Liquid PLeasures is an engrossing study of the social history of drinks in Britain from the late Seventeenth Century to the present. From the first cup of tea at breakfast and mid-morning coffee, to an evening beer and a night-cap, Burnett discusses individual drinks and drinking patterns which have varied not least with personal taste, but also with age, gender, religion and class. He views how different ages have viewed the same drink as either demon poison or medicine.
Connecting drinks and related substances such as sugar to empire as well, the book runs to the present with coverage of the startling drinks revolutions in the 1990s.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203019857

Drinking has always meant much more than satisfying the thirst. Drinking can be a necessity, a comfort, an indulgence or a social activity.
Liquid Pleasures is an engrossing study of the social history of drinks in Britain from the late seventeenth century to the present. From the first cup of tea at breakfast to mid-morning coffee, to an eveining beer and a 'night-cap', John Burnett discusses individual drinks and drinking patterns which have varied not least with personal taste but also with age, gender, region and class. He shows how different ages have viewed the same drink as either demon poison or medicine.
John Burnett traces the history of what has been drunk in Britain from the 'hot beverage revolution' of the late seventeenth century - connecting drinks and related substances such as sugar to empire - right up to the 'cold drinks revolution' of the late twentieth century, examining the factors which have determined these major changes in our dietary habits.

Celebrate your favorite coffee shop and one of the most iconic television series of all time with Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook! Gather your friends on your favorite couch and prepare over 50 recipes inspired by the iconic Central Perk cafe from the beloved hit sitcom Friends. Friends: The Official Central Perk Cookbook offers a variety of recipes for chefs of all levels. From appetizers and small bites to drinks and desserts, each chapter includes iconic treats from the show and cafe. The latest in Insight Editions' best-selling line of Friends products has more than 50 recipes and beautiful full-color photography, as well as classic stills and iconic quotes from the show. This will be the year's best home cooking companion for fans of the show that has always been there for you.

The Absinthe Frappe examines the history of absinthe, its origins, and its influences, culminating in the story of the iconic New Orleans cocktail. Marielle Songy reveals how bartender Cayetano Ferrer invented the concoction and delves into the early days of the drink and its first home, the Old Absinthe House in the Crescent City. She explores the ban on absinthe in the United States and Europe and the misguided reasoning behind it, all in the context of New Orleans's response to national Prohibition more broadly. Finally, Songy discusses the lifting of the restrictions on absinthe in 2007, a move largely spearheaded by New Orleans scientist and master distiller Theodore Breaux, who dispelled long-held notions that the Green Fairy invariably drove its connoisseurs to madness.

Black, green, white and oolong teas, as well as herbal infusions, have numerous health benefits. Infused with fresh, vitamin-rich fruits, they become a delicious way to increase your liquid consumption. Cold brewing tea, according to Mimi Kirk, is the best way to achieve a smooth taste and extract the antioxidants and other benefits from the tea. For cold days or when you're under the weather, her hot water infusions will warm and soothe. Kirk shares 70 recipes including: Black Cold Brew Tea + Blackberries, Green Cold Brew Tea + Lavender + Lemon and Rosemary Hot Water Infusion + Strawberries. With gorgeous photography, Tea-Vitalize gives information about the health properties of each ingredient.

If your cocktail hour usually includes a martini or a manhattan, you may equate lower alcohol options with a dreaded light beer. But it doesn't need to be that way! In this revolutionary new book, Jules Aron reveals the secret behind low-proof libations that satisfy all your senses without knocking you off your feet. By building your drinks with a delicious array of lower-proof alcohols, such as amari, sherry, herbal liqueurs and shochu, you'll balance out the high-proof components like gin and tequila. These tricks can also apply to traditionally lighter drinks too. Aron embraces garden-to-glass trends with spice-infused vodka, sweet-and-sour shrubs, and other, more health-conscious drinks. Most experts agree that drinking less booze is better for your health. Cutting back on alcohol has been shown to help with weight loss, libido and general well-being. With beautiful photography and contributions from well-known mixologists, this is a distinctive addition to the low-proof library.

Coffee is a global beverage: it is grown commercially on four continents, and consumed enthusiastically in all seven. There is even an Italian espresso machine on the International Space Station. Coffee's journey has taken it from the forests of Ethiopia to the fincas of Latin America, from Ottoman coffee houses to `Third Wave' cafes, and from the simple coffee pot to the capsule machine. In Coffee: A Global History, Jonathan Morris explains how the world acquired a taste for coffee, yet why coffee tastes so different throughout the world. Morris discusses who drank coffee, as well as why and where, how it was prepared and what it tasted like. He identifies the regions and ways in which coffee was grown, who worked the farms and who owned them, and how the beans were processed, traded and transported. He also analyses the businesses behind coffee - the brokers, roasters and machine manufacturers - and dissects the geopolitics linking producers to consumers. Written in an engaging style, and featuring wonderful recipes, stories and facts, this book will fascinate foodies, food historians and the many people who regard the humble coffee bean as a staple of modern life.

This simple and stunningly photographed book explains the basics of brewing your own komboucha, kefir and natural soda - right from your very own home. Truly, this book couldn't arrive in your life at a better time. At this crucial moment of consumer awareness, many of us are starting to make better and informed choices about what we eat and drink - and we're given plenty more choice than in the years gone by. The drinks section in all supermarkets and corner stores are now laden with healthier options which challenge the classic selection of commercialized, sugar-filled soft drinks of our youth. Today you'll find anywhere a whole range of naturally low-sugar, fermented alternatives such as kombucha, switchel and kefir - all healthy, gut-friendly drink options. These thirst-quenchers might seem too complicated to consider making yourself - but, in fact, fermented drinks are much easier to create at home than you might think. That's the thing about fermentation... You just bottle it up and wait. This book contains 40 easy-to-create drinks that will not just save you money, but will make you feel great too! Recipes in the book include kefir, kombucha, grapefruit soda, cider, switchel and mead. You'll be a (mocktail) mixologist in no time!

Ice spiked with lavender and water chilled with a handful of blueberries and pomegranate seeds give hydration a whole new level of enjoyment. Keep it organic and sugar free with more than 50 simple yet distinctive recipes from Mimi Kirk, arguably the healthiest 80-year-old woman around. Perhaps her water really does come from the fountain of youth! Long before water infuser bottles appeared on the market, Kirk was adding berries and botanicals to her daily 64 ounces. Water might be the most important tool in the quest for vitality and long life: it aids in digestion and detoxification and helps us maintain energy and feel satiated. Hydration is the key to looking and feeling young-these simple recipes will inspire even the most resistant water drinkers to up the ante.

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.

There's the office: President of the United States. And then there's the man in the office--prone to temptation and looking to unwind after a long day running the country. Celebrating the decidedly less distinguished side of the nation's leaders, humor writer Brian Abrams offers a compelling, hilarious, and true American history on the rocks--a Washington-to-Obama, vice-by-vice chronicle of how the presidents like to party. From explicit love letters to slurred speeches to nude swims at Bing Crosby's house, reputations are ruined and secrets bared. George Washington brokered the end of the? American Revolution over glasses of Madeira. Ulysses S. Grant rarely drew a sober breath when he was leading the North to victory. And it wasn't all liquor. Some presidents preferred their drugs--Nixon was a pill-popper. And others chased women instead--both ?the professorial Woodrow Wilson (who signed his love letters "Tiger") and the good ol' boy Bill Clinton, though neither could hold a candle to Kennedy, who also received the infamous Dr. Feelgood's "vitamin" injections of pure amphetamine. Illustrated throughout with infographics (James Garfield's attempts at circumnavigating the temperance movement), comic strips (George Bush Sr.'s infamous televised vomiting incident), caricatures, and fake archival documents, the book has the smart, funny feel of Mad magazine meets The Colbert Report. Plus, it includes recipes for 44 cocktails inspired by each chapter's partier-in-chief.

Thrown everywhere from lush gardens and gracious interior spaces to a Mississippi River sandbar, Julia Reed's parties capture the celebratory nature of entertaining in her native South. Here, her informative and down-to-earth guide to giving an unforgettable party includes secrets she has collected over a lifetime of entertaining. For this book, she offers up a feast of options for holiday cocktails, spring lunches, formal dinners, and even a hunt breakfast. Twelve seasonal events feature delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes, ranging from fried chicken to Charlotte Russe and signature cocktails or wine pairings-she introduces her talented friends (rum makers, potters, fabric designers, bakers) along the way. Each occasion includes gorgeous photographs showing her inspiring approach to everything from invitations and setting a table to arranging flowers and creating the mood. A handbook section provides practical considerations and sources. This irresistible book is the ultimate primer for every party-giver.