WitchCraft Cocktails

by Julia Halina Hadas

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

WitchCraft Cocktails is is a mixology reference with recipes developed by Julia Halina Hadas. Due out 8th Sept. from Simon & Schuster on their Adams Media imprint, it's 224 pages (print version) and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

There is a long intertwined history between witchcraft and alcohol. The author writes authoritatively about craft, practice, and alcohol from the past down to the present as well as a short lesson on personal responsibilty (everything in moderation). The following chapters include a solid bar reference with good descriptions of varieties of base alcohol, barware, tools, and other supplies. This chapter includes one of the more comprehensive guides to glassware I've seen anywhere. There are recipes for concocting the mixing ingredients (bitters, syrups, shrubs) with most of the emphasis on intention and craft (attuning, preparing, centering, and grounding). The author gives a short survey course of ingredients, crystals, chakras, astrological, and tarot implications,

The recipes themselves are arranged seasonally: fall, winter, spring, and summer cocktails and elixirs. There are circa 20 per season, whimsically named and appealing. Recipes have ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar. Recipe measurements are given in American standard measures only, with a conversion chart for metric measurements provided in the appendices. Serving sizes and suggestions follow in the step by step instructions.

The book's appendices include good "non magical" recipes for classic cocktails, a list of herbal intentions for abundance, divination, communication, creativity and others, a bibliography, and a cross referenced index.

This is a comprehensive and well written book with an obvious slant toward witchcraft uses but with relevant content for anyone interested in mixology. The photography and graphic layout are well rendered and appealing. This would make a good gift for a fan of home cocktails, witchcraft, alternative philosophy, or the like.

Five stars. Well done (and worthwhile even for readers who are not wiccans).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.