top 3 bookshelf beginnings
One of my favourite things to do when I enter a book store is make a beeline directly to the cooking section. If I’m lucky, there’s a shelf or two specifically for my favourite genre - cocktail books. I actually burst into tears when I visited Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle earlier this year when instead of a shelf, there were two full bookcases overflowing with fermentation books, whisky bibles, and collections of drink recipes. I wanted to make a little list of the books on my personal shelf at home, so if you’re looking to grow (or start!) your collection, hopefully this can help. These are my Top 3 recommendations if I’m asked on the spot, and have bought them as gifts for friends and lent them out more times than I can count.
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
This is probably the most recognisable book to people outside of the industry since it was featured on the FX Show The Bear (which, by the way, is literally one of the best shows I’ve ever seen). It’s a love letter to hospitality and one of only two books in my life that I’ve written in or dog-eared pages because I had just too many thoughts while I was reading it and had to make sure that everything got written down. It perfectly encapsulates my struggles and love of venue/people management, and has massively helped me grow in the last year since I’ve been reading and re-reading it. It reminds me why I love and want to be in this industry, even when I’m feeling like giving up. I cannot recommend it enough, and should be mandatory reading for everyone who works in hospitality.
Schofield’s Fine and Classic Cocktails by Joe & Daniel Schofield
I use this book as a teaching tool, just like my first mentor used it to teach me about classic cocktails. Each cocktail has a photo on the opposite page and a little paragraph about the history of the cocktail - making it super easy to understand what we’re doing and why for each of the drinks. There’s a whole section at the front of the book about glassware, definitions of terms, and basic recipes for syrups that basically makes this the perfect first cocktail book to own and why I lend mine out to anyone who’s starting their journey.
Strong, Sweet, and Bitter by Cara Devine
Cara is not-so-secretly one of my absolute biggest inspirations in this industry. I can’t even begin to convey how hard she works - she’s a journalist, YouTuber, bar manager and more, all while being one of the most kind and genuine people I’ve ever met. And somehow she had time to write a book?? Like???? Insane. I have no idea how she does it and am forever in awe of her. She has her own list of books (and a video) that you should check out here if you’re trying to build your library. Anyway back on topic - her book is an absolute must for helping to understand how to balance a cocktail, and experiment with ingredients while still creating on a solid base. It’s incredibly well-written, easy to understand, and has a ton of visual aids and resources for both beginners and seasoned professionals. Also, it’s physically a beautiful book that you’ll want to leave on your coffee table instead of putting away on a shelf. 10/10, no notes, go buy it right now.
I’m about to start reading Girly Drinks by Mallory O’Meara and Slow Drinks by Danny Childs, so I’m sure I’ll have another list of book recommendations coming soon! Let me know if there’s anything else I should add to my TBR pile!