July Safari

Book News, South American Cocktail Tour, And A July Cocktail

Hello and welcome to my booze-soaked newsletter! If you’ve found your way here through a search, share, or some other means but are not subscribed let’s get you signed up: click here!

Friends,

I am suddenly under a tight deadline for a new book (more on that next month - exciting), and will keep this newsletter brief.

JUNE RECAP

First, thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of Forbidden Cocktails — and reviewed it on the website that shall not be named (shhh, see the incredible reviews on Amazon here). This is so important for books, thank you.

Now, on to the news. The month was action-packed!

We had great, sold-out Forbidden Cocktail event in Greenville, SC, at M. Judson Booksellers (an amazing shop). Every audience is different; this time it was fun to discover that the majority of the audience was there for reasons other than being pre-code fans. Fantastic! They still learned about pre-code-era cocktails, but then we also talked about Booze & Vinyl as well as books like The Unofficial Big Lebowski Cocktail Book and Gotham City Cocktails.

I had the chance to go on the Blue Ridge Parkway on my way to Greenville, and I brought along my vintage cocktail kit. It felt right at home in a couple of cute roadside motels we stayed at on the way ala It Happened One Night.

There are a more Forbidden Cocktail events coming up. I am thrilled to be returning to Asheville, NC — to Denise Kiernan’s incredible series (with Malaprop’s Books) CRAFT — on Sunday September 8. Then I’m headed to Chicago and the Pendry Hotel rooftop Saturday August 16. Check out my events page at andredarlington.com for more.

I continue to do interviews and podcasts about Forbidden Cocktails. Two great ones are my yearly (or bi-yearly )appearance on BoozeDancing. See here. These guys are so great and a recurring highlight of my book tours. Also, I was on the amazing NPR show Front Row Classics. Listen here. Both were highlights of the month.

Jenny Castro of Hollywood Times wrote a great article about the book here. We had so much fun talking for her piece.

Other Fun Press

Booze & Vinyl was in New York Magazine. See the recommendation in The Strategist here. It also got a great mention in Glamour Magazine here.

COCKTAIL SAFARI

I am headed to South America in a few days. My itinerary is Lima, Peru → Santiago, Chile → Buenos Aires, Argentina → Bogota, Colombia. If you want to follow along, I’ll be posting on Instagram. I’ve also been on Threads a lot more this summer because I WAS attempting to be more active on social media. Now that I am back in book jail I’ve slowed way down — there just isn’t time —but I’ll be back while traveling.

JULY RECIPE

My Cast-Iron Peach Julep was featured in Elle Gourmet last month. This drink was inspired by peach season here in North Carolina. But more, when I was doing research for my book Cowboy Cocktails, I ran into a number of recipes for peach brandy drinks. That’s because, before whiskey became widely available (or even when it was), folks were making brandy from their own peaches — and using the resulting brew to make drinks. Getting some nice caramelization from the grill means this julep has wowing flavor. Juleps are not just for Derby Day! Below is the recipe:

6 mint leaves

½ oz simple syrup

2 Grilled Peach Slices

2½ oz bourbon

mint sprig for garnish

Grilled Peaches

6 peaches

1 oz olive oil

Cocktail

In a julep cup or rocks glass, muddle the mint and simple syrup. Add the grilled peach slices, bourbon and crushed ice, then garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a cobbler spoon (a metal straw with a small round spoon attached, sometimes called a spoon straw).

Grilled Peaches

Prepare the grill for direct grilling. Halve the peaches and remove the pits. Brush the cut side with olive oil and grill cut-side down, over medium heat, for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the peaches and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until they have softened and the skin has charred.

THANK YOU FOR READING - SEE YOU NEXT MONTH WHEN I REVEAL THE NEXT BOOK! LUCKY NUMBER 13!

ORDER FORBIDDEN COCKTAILS HERE

ORDER COWBOY COCKTAILS HERE