Beverages Books

The novelist and adventurer Jack London was an alcoholic at an early age. This colorful memoir -- one of the first in America to treat the issue of alcohol abuse -- was written to encourage the prohibition efforts of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. London does condemn the overuse of alcohol, but his barroom tales make an equally strong case for its allure. The emphasis London places on the reasons why people drink, and drink to excess, fills this book with exciting characters and locales -- "the cameraderie of drink" is London's own phrase, as another reviewer notes. This personal revelation by one of America's premier adventure writers must have been shocking to a nation that viewed its drunks with a fairly tolerant eye. It is certainly an important book for those interested in the literature of alcohol abuse in this country.

Following the worst of London's alcoholic periods he wrote this autobiography beginning with his first taste of alcohol, his first experience at being drunk,and his first hangover-all at the age of five. London went on to "earn his manhood spurs" through hard drinking at the steamy waterfront bars on the San Francisco Bay. Claiming never to have acquired a taste for the stuff, London stresses the important role of the saloon in cultivating alcoholism in young men. He brings to vivid life the romantic allure of a place full of sailors with names like Whiskey Bob, whose stories of 'round-the-world journeys, barroom brawls, and dangerous sea adventures mingled with the "comaraderie of drink." At once a highly personal work of intense emotional power and an unsparing social commentary on the evils of drink, this masterpiece of autobiographical literature first stunned a world audience in 1913, and today continues to strike a resounding contemporary note.

I know the cover of this book--a guy in shorts doing a cheerleader-type jump--may look faddish and ultra-cheese, but it really is a fantastic book. It is easy to read and easy to understand, and highly informative. Plus, the guy is realistic. No matter how good something might be for you, we have to plan our lives with a realistic view in mind. Plus the back is filled with great, easy recipes. It has an alphabetical index that tells you what different fruits and vegetables are best for. I can't wait to read Jason Vale's other books. Give it a try, I say.

This book would be an awesome addition to your health and recipe library. I didn't expect to have my life changed by reading this book, but it has done that. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It is encouraging and fun!

The concentrated nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants in fruit and vegetable juices are vital to human healthy and well-being. Juice Power is a slim, 256-page compendium of information and recipes for the inclusion of juice drinks into our daily diets and menus. Each recipes is accompanied by a description of the most significant nutrients it contains, providing the basis in science as to how and why these recipes work as they do. Also included are recipes for fruit medleys that are as delicious as they are health inducing. From Fruity Ice Cream Soy Shake; to Pick-Me-Up Coconut Date Shake; to Cucumber Lemonade; to Banana Moon; to eight different vegetable combos, Juice Power will soon become a "family friendly favorite" addition to any and all kitchen cookbook collections.

Bring yourself into balance
Cleanse your body
Relax your nerves
Revive your senses
Strengthen your immune system
Lose weight
Increase your energy level
Elevate your mood
Develop more stamina, memory, clarity, and focus-

Using nutritious juices for any taste, occasion, or lifestyle.
This book will certainly help you do all of this. I have spent a great many years juicing, so am well aware of the benefits. I like how this book uses creativity to make healthy juices exciting and tasty. Anyone who has ever picked up a juice book will adore this one!

But Juice Power for the thirsty soul is not just a juice book; it is jam packed with lively smoothie and shake recipes as well. All of the recipes are easy to make and could easily accomodate a raw foodist by substituting nuts and seeds to replace the soy. We tried all of the recipes in the book and our favorite ones are Ginger Get Well, Tropical Dream, and the Daily Grape Drink. For the sugar aspect of the recipes (maple syrup, honey, etc.) we substituted wild raw agave nectar. Juice Power for the thirsty soul is a real gem. My son Ian and I highly recommend this book. --Angela Elliot

Crowgey has delivered a thoroughly delightful in-depth and detailed academic-level history of the origins of America's Native Spirit, Bourbon.

If you're looking for mixed drink recipes or techniques on how to make the latest shooter, you're in the wrong place. If you're truly interested in the wheres and whys of the origin of Bourbon, you'll be in heaven.

Crowgey's writing style can get a bit pedestrian at times but the facts and details here come through loud and clear. He debunks some of the myths, he lays out the facts as they were, and we're better Bourbon connoisseurs for having read him.

You can enjoy Bourbon without reading this book, but you'll understand Bourbon better if you do.

In tracing the history of distilling in Kentucky up to the eve of the Civil War, Crowgey dispels many of the myths and "pleasant legends" that have grown up around this native spirit.

There is, of course, much here for those interested in Kentucky history and the history of distilling. However, through his study of early bourbon making, Crowgey also tells us a great deal about early American agricultural history and the settlement and development of the frontier. Originally published in 1971, this is a wonderful little book that deserved to be reprinted.

Babs Harrison's book, Kitschy Canape's, is the answer to that important time when your guests first arrive. Will they stay splinted into uninteresting pods or form into a cohesive unit the result of which is FUN!! Bab's Canapes are a magnet which draws people together. Forget chips and dips. Get into Ramaki the new way, try Deb's Sausage Rolls and many more. An added bonus to the content of this book is the hip style of Harrison's writing. A must for those who entertain.

And we thought folks had forgotten the glory of rumaki, the zest of curried cashews, and the zing of the California dip! Babs Harrison hasn't forgotten any of these retro edibles and her book is a must for anybody holding a cocktail party. Even better, the book is packed with humorous tips ("party manner"). And don't miss the recipe for Deb's Sausage Rolls!

The book is a must for all who want to make their own kombucha
drink at home.
It contains all the necessary information so that one can
be sure that everything will be correct.
The book gives info from how to make the kombcha drink
in easy steps to more complex and important topics.
Also at the author's web [...]
one can buy a kombucha starter which is a wonderful and vital one.
The site offers the book plus many info on te subject.
The author has thoroughly researched all the aspects of Kombucha making
and is a Kombucha master!

Since I started drinking kombucha tea a few months ago, I've read several books on the subject. Now that I have read Gunther W. Frank's book, I don't feel the need to read any of the remaining others. He gives complete information about what's known about the culture, different ways to brew the tea, how to store the culture, what to do when problems arise, the effects of drinking the tea, etc. What I particularly like is that he provides all information he has come across, even when he disagrees with it. Unlike some other authors, he's not condescending or proprietary about kombucha.

He seems like a wise person. The final chapter, which is entitled something along the lines of: 'Is Health Really the Most Important Thing?' is worth reading in its own right.

If you are interested in learning about kombucha tea, I'd definitely recommend this book.

If you've read the first La Vie en Rose, and you didn't book your flight to France, this one will do it! Incredibly sweet and entertaining. I'm now a huge rose fan! Charming, real and down-to-earth. If we never get to sell rose in France, this is the next best thing. Looking forward to hearing more from Jamie.

Jamie Ivey's Extremely Pale Rosé: A Very French Adventure is a delightful travelogue about three wine lovers in search of the palest rosé wine in France. This sequel is devoted to seeing if it is possible to run a successful rosé bar in the Luberon.

The odds seem long: customers will be largely men; rosé is considered a woman's drink; rosé is a summer drink; and most bars make their money from food, and matching food with rosé is considered very difficult.

Rosé seems to be an in drink in France these days -- domestic sales of red and white wines are stagnant, while rosé sales are growing. Ivey works with bars in Uzes, Aix en Provence and Nimes to sell rosé, and does some useful market research. Encouraged, he visits some of the vignerons he met in the first book. He buys a bar in the hills of the Luberon, and plans to remodel during the winter. Hopefully, summer sales will keep his family through the the rest of the year.

Ivey's writing is as charming as ever. This extract from his web site is an example of his style and his insights into French culture:

"By the time that Tanya was four months pregnant we began to notice what can only be described as peculiarly French attitude towards her bump. Women who barely knew us came up and rested their hands proprietarily on our growing baby. To begin with we assumed that this was just the natural motherly urge exerting itself, the type of thing that could happen anywhere.

"Then the inquisition began. "You're still very slim," "Did your mother put on weight when she had you?" "Bien, bien, nothing at all on your legs."

"The statements, come questions, were complimentary, but there was an almost forensic level of interest in the changes that pregnancy had on the female form. The size and shape of Tanya's bump was closely monitored by the women of the village but it was only after the birth that I began to appreciate their perspective. They spent an obligatory minute or so cooing over our new baby and then they turned to Tanya. Hands were pressed against her stomach, and appraising glances cast upon her silhouette as she walked.

"As much as French women love babies there is one thing that they love more - their bodies, and as much as they made out they'd been monitoring the development of our baby, subconsciously at least they'd been keeping a keen eye on Tanya's body."

Ivey is planning a magazine "BlueSky Living" and another book on rosé, in both cases based in Provence. My guess is that both will be just as successful as his first two books at communicating his exploration of France.

Robert C. Ross, 2008

The receipes expresses creativity and imagination for the busies working women in today's society. His combination of simplicity and freshest ingredients is attractive. Also, Lee's pairing of food and wine leaves the guess work out of receipes. I've thoroughly enjoyed my cookbook over the past few years and looking forward to purchasing others in the future. Thank you

Lee Bailey writes gorgeous books, that's the first thing you notice, but once you've tried his recipes, and I have five of his books, you find that all you have to do is open the book, follow his straightforward directions and you have a terrific meal. I rarely even add salt, his recipes are that good. Always my go-to guy for important dinner parties, he outdoes himself in this book adding wine and California style. In this book, he visits top California vineyards to cook with their chefs and their wines. This book is organized with complete menus which is great and saves organizing time, but you'll find yourself picking and choosing anyway since the choices are so good. Get this book and have a party!

I enjoyed this book. The author gave very simple and basic instructions for making numerous alcoholic beverages of the 18th century. I found it interesting and informative.

this is a how to book with a sense of humor...everything from beer to hot chocolate .... useful for the living history folk as well as your average beer drinker.

Hayden Wood is the Jamie Oliver of cocktails. He writes in a very friendly and approacable manner with hints of humour and stories from his experience. This book explains the basics in detail so that anyone can make cocktails at home. He emphasizes the use of equipment that can be obtained easily if you don't already have it at home; and the drinks are focused mainly on using fresh ingredients that are cheap and readily available, rather than a whole shelf of ready-made liquers.

For the experienced bartender, this book is full of new and refreshing ideas with stunningly sexy pictures of the cocktails. I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

THE LIQUID KITCHEN: PARTY DRINKS joins a growing number of books covering mixed drinks; but what sets this part is its author, who has won Best Drinks Book in the World 2004 and other awards - and the innovative new drinks he's designed just for parties. Color photos and reflections on competitions, mixed drink winners and more accompany easy recipes any party cook will find appealing and different. From a Honey Nectarine Martini to a 'Solar' variation on a Bronx cocktail, THE LIQUID KITCHEN's recipes won't be in any other cocktail guide.