5 Books to Read this Month: December
by David Klemt
This month’s fun and informative book selections will help you develop next-level culinary, beverage and leadership skills this December.
To review November’s book recommendations, click here.
Let’s dive in!
Can I Mix You a Drink?
Superstar T-Pain partners with mixologist Maxwell Britten, formerly the bar director for James Beard Award winner Maison Premier. The fifty recipes in Can I Mix You a Drink? match up with a lyric or sentiment from T-Pain songs. There are amusing and insightful anecdotes from T-Pain, and the high-end, glossy photography in the book match the high-end recipes. Overall, this book is a vibe, much like a great cocktail bar.
The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails
David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum team up for likely the deepest dive into the role alcohol plays in human history. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is everything you ever wanted to know about fermentation, distillation, aging, cocktails, cocktail bars, and more. In addition to global techniques and processes, readers will be treated to illustrations, a guide to making drinks, and even a timeline of distillation and spirits.
The Alchemist Cocktail Book: Master the Dark Arts of Mixology
When one thinks of chains, they tend to think of global fast-food and fast-casual brands. However, The Alchemist stands in stark contrast to that thinking. The Alchemist is a chain of stunning, experimental cocktail “theaters.” These cocktail bar and restaurant venues elevate the cocktail to new heights, paying just as much attention to experiential and atmosphere details as drink build details. The Alchemist Cocktail Book shares 100 original Alchemist recipes, including low- and no-alcohol drinks.
Market Fresh Mixology Presents Life, Love, Happiness & Cocktails
If you’ve ever wondered what inspired someone when they were creating a now-famous cocktail, this is the book you want. Not only does mixologist Bridget Albert, senior national director of education for Beam Suntory and founder of the Academy of Spirits and Fine Service, tell the stories behind 40 cocktail recipes, she invites others to join her. Life, Love, Happiness & Cocktails features Tony Abou-Ganim, Julie Reiner, and more telling the personal stories behind their recipes.
Hacking the New Normal
Are you ready to take your restaurant, bar, lounge, hotel or resort from concept to reality in 2022? Treat yourself this holiday season to a gift that will help you achieve your goal and dream of operating a successful hospitality venue. Do you know someone who has been talking about opening a restaurant, bar or hotel but hasn’t made their move yet? Hacking the New Normal is the perfect gift for them this holiday season.