Best of
Alcohol

2003

The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food


Garrett Oliver - 2003
    Garrett, along with photographer Denton Tillman, traveled throughout Europe visiting fellow brewmasters to trace the beers of the world to their sources. Back in the States, he met with the star chefs he has advised about beer. The resulting book is a motherload of information, lushly illustrated with Tillman’s gorgeous photographs of the world’s best beers and the breweries that produce them. Above all, THE BREWMASTER’S TABLE is a new way of thinking about beer – one that will bring this under-appreciated brew to the status it deserves.Whether it’s a Belgian wheat beer with a simple salad, a Brooklyn Pilsner to wash down spicy tacos, a pale ale alongside a porcini risotto with foie gras, or even a Framboise to accompany a dark chocolate brownie, beer is the perfect complement to any dining experience, at home in front of the TV or in a four-star restaurant.He explains how beer is made, shows you its fascinating history, and then leads you through the amazing range of flavors displayed by the dozens of distinct styles of beer from around the world. Finally, he suggests beer pairings that will please your tastebuds and blow your mind.  Whether you’re a beer aficionado, a passionate cook, or just someone who loves a great dinner, this book will indeed be a revelation.

The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft


Gary Regan - 2003
    Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology is such a gem, one whose genius lies in Regan’s breakthrough system for categorizing drinks that helps bartenders—both professionals and amateurs alike—not only to remember drink recipes but also to invent their own.For example, once you understand that the Margarita is a member of the New Orleans Sour Family, you’ll instantly see that a Kamikaze is just a vodka-based Margarita; a Cosmopolitan follows the same formula, with some cranberry juice thrown in for color. Similarly, the Manhattan and the Rob Roy, both members of the French-Italian family, are variations on the whiskey-vermouth-bitters formula. In this way Regan brings a whole new understanding to the world of cocktails and how to make them. Not only will you learn how to make standard cocktails, you’ll actually learn to feel your way through making a drink, thereby attaining the skills needed to create concoctions of your own. And as Regan explains methods for mixing drinks, how to choose bartenders’ wares and select spirits and liqueurs, and the origins of many cocktails, you’ll feel as though you’re behind the bar with him, learning from a master. Plus, his charming and detailed history of mixed drinks raises this far above the standard cocktail guide fare. With more than 350 drink recipes, The Joy of Mixology is the ultimate bar guide. Ground-breaking and authoritative, it’s a must-have for anyone interested in the craft of the cocktail.

Jim Murray's Whisky Bible (2009)


Jim Murray - 2003
    

Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story


Lynn C. Tolson - 2003
    Tolson. The story begins with her suicide attempt at the age of twenty-five. In the aftermath, she commits to counseling to recover from anxiety and depression. The reader accompanies the author through therapy sessions, where the young woman reveals dysfunctional family relationships, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and mental illness. She learns from her counselor that she'd been suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) which was the underlying cause of self-destructive behaviors, such as addictions and alcoholism. Due to the therapeutic process, the author discovers the value of life. Her story illustrates physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation. In sharing her inspirational journey, she provides readers with a message of hope.Author Lynn C. Tolson appeals to the reader from the first paragraph of her powerful memoir Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor's Story. Tolson uses creative non-fiction to tell her story, fascinating the reader with metaphor, prose, and poetry. Tolson tells her riveting story in first-person narrative, enabling the reader to instantly bond with her authentic voice. Readers can readily visualize the settings, plot, and characters due to the author's well-developed descriptions and dialogue. This is not an average auto-biography: the book combines story-telling with self-help, affirmations, meditations, and therapeutic concepts. Each chapter begins with a quote appropriate to the content, which gives the reader even more to contemplate. The topics challenge the reader to explore social problems within the context of family relationships. However, Tolson uses her clever wit to offer the reader occasional comic relief. Readers say that they simultaneously laughed and cried on the same page. Some readers say that reading the book literally changed their lives. Readers also say they view themselves and their families with a fresh perspective.