Refreshing Reads
There's no better way to relax this summer than to read a good book while sipping on your favorite beverage. From relaxing teas to vibrant coffees, there are boundless books that explore the history and experience of enjoying a great drink. If you're looking to add some knowledge and depth to your imbibing experience, check out this list of books.
"The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing — Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed" by James Hoffman
Taking the reader on a global tour of coffee-growing countries, "The World Atlas of Coffee" presents the bean in full-color photographs and concise, informative text. It shows the origins of coffee — where it is grown, the people who grow it; and the cultures in which coffee is a way of life — and the world of consumption — processing, grades, the consumer and the modern culture of coffee.
"Coffee Isn't Rocket Science: A Quick and Easy Guide to Buying, Brewing, Serving, Roasting and Tasting Coffee" by Sébastien Racineux & Chung-Leng Tran
Rocket science is complicated, coffee doesn't have to be! With information presented in an easy, illustrated style, and chock-full of the fool-proof and reliable knowledge of a seasoned barista, this is the guide you always wished existed. From how coffee beans are grown, the history and flavor profiles of beans from every country, to making pour-overs, iced coffee, and latte art, to the cultural practices of drinking coffee around the world, this book explains it all in the simplest way possible.
"The Art and Craft Of Tea: An Enthusiast's Guide to Selecting, Brewing and Serving Exquisite Tea" by Joseph Wesley Uhl
In "The Art and Craft of Tea", entrepreneur and enthusiast Joseph Wesley Uhl brings to the story of tea its due reverence, making its history, traditions and possibilities accessible to all. If you want to go beyond reading and enter your kitchen, Joseph offers "recipes" for creating your own tea blends using natural ingredients
"Darjeeling: The Colorful History and Precarious Fate of the World's Greatest Tea" by Jeff Koehler
Jeff Koehler has written a fascinating chronicle of India and its most sought-after tea. Blending history, politics, and reportage together, along with a collection of recipes that tea-drinkers will love,Darjeeling is an indispensable volume for fans of micro-history and tea fanatics.
"Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste" by Bianca Bosker
A tech reporter describes her introduction to the world of master sommeliers and her in-depth investigation into the source of their interests and skills, an effort marked by work with elite tasting groups, encounters at exclusive New York restaurants, visits to California winemakers and more.
"The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create the World's Great Drinks" by Amy Stewart
Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries.
"The Seven Moods of Craft Beer: 350 Great Craft Beers from Around the World" by Adrian Tierney-Jones
350 international craft beers are divided into seven categories — or moods — for drinking, including social, adventurous, poetic, bucolic, imaginative, gastronomic and contemplative — ensuring the perfect beer for every occasion.
"Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America's Whiskey" by Reid Mitenbuler
How bourbon came to be, and why it's experiencing such a revival today. A tale of innovation, success, downfall and resurrection, "Bourbon Empire" is an exploration of the spirit in all its unique forms, creating an indelible portrait of both bourbon and the people who make it.
"The Bloody Mary: The Lore and Legend of a Cocktail Classic, with Recipes for Brunch and Beyond" by Brian Bartels
In "The Bloody Mary", author Brian Bartels delves into the fun history of this classic drink. Did Hemingway create it, as legend suggests? Or was it an ornery Parisian bartender? More than 50 eclectic recipes, culled from top bartenders around the country, will have drinkers thinking outside the vodka box and taking garnishes to a whole new level.
"The Year of Drinking Adventurously: 52 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone" by Jeff Cioletti
A guide to getting out of your beverage comfort zone once a week for a year. Each of the fifty-two chapters features the story behind a unique beer, spirit, cocktail or wine, designed to broaden your drinking horizons.
"Around the World in 80 Cocktails" by Chad Parkhill
Around the World in 80 Cocktails celebrates the globetrotting history of the cocktail through eighty different cocktails — each with its own story to tell. Bartender and writer Chad Parkhill takes you on a whirlwind tour of the places that have shaped the history of the cocktail from its birth to the present day, with recipes so you can follow along at home. You'll learn about the surprising military history behind the bubbly, vivacious 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.
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