Book Photoshoot
Behind the Scenes for Booze & Vinyl Country
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Friends,
I spent last week in Philadelphia at the photoshoot for Booze & Vinyl Country (coming fall ‘25). This was exciting for a few reasons, chief among them being that I have not visited Philly — my home city for five years — since 2022. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t happened. So it was great seeing the city increasingly healthy (based on foot traffic) post-pandemic.
I miss many things about living in Philly, mostly its great food scene —but also the town’s essential walkability. Bruce Springsteen has it right in his song “Streets of Philadelphia” —the ability to stroll everywhere may be the town’s key feature.
Photoshoots are a highlight in the book-making process. By the time the photoshoot rolls around, I am comfortably in edits and I get to watch as scenes from the pages come alive. I relish the time in the studio with other creatives - there seems so few opportunities these days to come together otherwise. This book is being photographed by Steve Legato (who also shot Forbidden Cocktails). Like me, Steve was once based in Philly but has moved on (in his case California) - it was great to meet up and compare notes.
Booze & Vinyl Country features more than 100 album and cocktail pairings. It will be available for pre-order next year and it will get a multi-city tour. In the meantime, you can order Booze & Vinyl, Booze & Vinyl Vol. 2, or the soon-to-be-seasonally-on-point A Booze and Vinyl Christmas here. Additionally, if you’re looking for a fun activity, there is the Booze & Vinyl Mix-and-Match Game. Order it here.
Upcoming
This is the first fall I haven’t launched a book in I can’t remember how long. While touring is thrilling, it gobbles every part of this great season from early October until Christmas. Ouch. I’m taking advantage of the rare break by slipping away to Barcelona and then on to Morocco. I’ll post my travels on social media.
I launched two books this spring: Cowboy Cocktails (see here) and Forbidden Cocktails (see here). I’ll be posting more about them as we head into the holidays. These are two of my favorite books as they are both research-heavy deep dives. One into the American West and the other into Hollywood pre-code film. I may just pull out the cattle trail maps and some of my rare 1930s cocktail shakers on social media, so stay tuned.
Thanksgiving Stirrup Cup
Thanksgiving is such a great gathering. The meal is often associated with wine, but it’s also the perfect time for cocktails. Since this is such a uniquely American holiday, I’ve chosen a drink from my book Cowboy Cocktails. The Stirrup Cup has a fascinating story and is a great way to kick off festivities. Note: while the picture from the book below shows white sugar cubes (which are just fine), at home I use La Perruche Pure Cane. If you haven’t had an old fashioned made with a brown cube, that’s your homework over the holidays. You can find them in kitchen stores or online here (La Perruche doesn’t pay me to recommend this).
Served while customers remained astride their horses, stirrup cups were an old
tradition descended from drinks enjoyed before the hunt in England. The cups
traveled to the New World, where they were popular at colonial taverns and, later,
in the trail tents that served as early bars. Think of the service as the cowboy version
of a drive-in. If the rider did dismount, he or she was given a receipt for the animal,
just like modern valet parking.
Maraschino cherries appeared on US shores in 1890 and their inclusion
would have marked this as a “fancy” drink. Cowboys dreamed of such treats while
enduring the hardships of the open range and consumed them with relish when the
opportunity arose.
Ingredients
Sugar cube
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 ounce brandy
1 ounce bourbon whiskey
Maraschino cherry, for garnish
Directions
Add the sugar cube to a rocks glass and muddle with the bitters. Add the brandy, whiskey, and a large ice cube. Stir, then garnish with a cherry.
Excerpted from COWBOY COCKTAILS: 60 Recipes Inspired by the American West by André Darlington. Copyright © 2024. Available from Quarto.
ANNIVERSARY
Celebrating John Wayne: The Official Cocktail Book turning two years old. You can order it here.
Congratulations on the completion of another great photo shoot—back in Philly. Terrific! Eager to get your new book when it becomes available. Your holiday travels also sound great—enjoy!