Booze Over Broadway

by Tiller Press

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Booze Over Broadway is an appealing collection of recipes combining everyone's perennial favorites, booze and stage musicals. Due out in late 2021 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 160 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is such an exuberant and well written ode to historical and classic cocktails and they've all been given punny tie-in names ("Life is a Cabernet", "Rum Tum Tugger" and 48 more). The author is clearly enamored of the theatre and has selected cocktails which will enhance watch parties or serve very well as pre-performance aperitifs. This is not just a bar book full of recipes. It's a history essay with recipes interspersed in the relevant stories. The recipes contain which musical they're giving homage to as well as some trivia and info about the different musicals.

Each of the recipes includes an introductory description and yields, appropriate barware and serving glass, ingredients in American standard measures (oz, tsp, etc), and step by step instructions. Variations and alternatives are provided at the end of the recipes. The book also includes a concise conversion chart, and index.

Many of the ingredients should be available at any well stocked grocery/liquor store although some might need to be sourced at specialists. Cocktails are such a civilized interlude and this book includes a solid cross section of classics to build mixology skills and impress one's friends at the next gathering.

Four stars. The recipes are mostly tongue-in-cheek renamed updates on classics (sidecar, Tom Collins, daquiri, whiskey sour, etc). The extra show trivia is nifty though, and worth a look for lovers of musical theatre.

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