Summer beverages: your library on the rocks
Posted on August 13, 2015 at 6:00 am
By Gwendolyn Haley
The 641s is one of my favorite sections of the library to browse. For those of you not quite as familiar with the Dewey Decimal System, that’s also known as the cookbook section. There is always something new and delicious to check out, especially during this time of year when the grilling and salad books are particularly enticing. Truth be told, when the thermometer climbs up above 90 degrees, my thoughts turn more and more to beverages. Fortunately, the cookbook section at your local library has everything a budding bartender or master mixologist needs to beat the heat.
The lazy days of August are the perfect time to work your way through Maria del Mar Sacasa’s guide, Summer Cocktails: Margaritas, Mint Juleps, Punches, Party Snacks and More. This follow up to her first book, Winter Cocktails, features 100 summer cocktail recipes, including a bourbon-peach punch and watermelon refresher. Each recipe comes with step-by-step directions and full color photos, as well as variations that feature all of your garden fresh produce.
Anton Nocito’s book, Make Your Own Soda: Syrup Recipes for All-Natural Pop, Floats, Cocktails and More, offers even more options for those looking to quench their summer thirst. You’ll find 70 recipes for all-natural syrups with unique, artisanal flavors like pineapple, lemongrass, and hibiscus, as well as old-time favorites like ginger, sarsaparilla, and grape.
If cocktails and soda aren’t your thing, maybe you want to try your hand at making your own craft beer. The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Fully Revised and Updated by Charlie Papazian includes everything you need to know about brewing beer at home from start to finish. Best of all, it’s available as a downloadable eBook, so you can get started today.
These titles represent a small sampling of the beverage menu available at your local library. Search our online catalog by using “beverages” as your subject or wander down to your local library and browse the shelves in the 641s. We have everything you need to escape the ordinary this summer!
