I recently vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands and enjoyed drinking fun, fruity cocktails throughout the week. Thus, I was happy to accept an offer to review Beach Cocktails: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites ($21.99, Gibbs Smith), edited by Allyson Reedy, with photographs by Lauren McDuffie.
The recipes are from mixologists and bartenders around the world (which is why Reedy is listed as the editor and not the author), and she did a good job of curating a list of beach drinks. Her goal was to transport your mind, body and spirit to “a whole other mental state or mood.”
I certainly felt like I was on a beach again while drinking the Lovango Rum Punch (p. 30). It comes from the Lovango Resort & Beach Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands and features rum, falernum, pineapple juice, lime juice and grenadine.
I also enjoyed the Sky High Mojito (p. 21) from Princess Hotels & Resorts in Jamaica, as it adds coconut rum and a drizzle of blue curacao to a standard mojito to brighten it up.
My favorite was probably the Fluffy Refresher (p. 62) from the Bahamas. The combination of vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and prosecco reminded me of a French 75 martini but slightly sweeter.
Of note, a bar in Milwaukee called the Mothership offered the Step Papi (p. 47). I didn’t end up making it, but it includes rum, sloe gin and absinthe, among other ingredients. Other locations providing recipes include Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, Hawaii and oddly, Denver.
To keep up with the times, Reedy included recipes for mocktails–I tried the Amanyara Cooler (p. 116) and thought it was refreshing–and she also threw in some recipes for beachy snacks like spicy baked plantain chips (p. 127) and jerk-spiced chicken wings (p. 132).
Reedy is the author of several cookbooks, including 50 Things to Bake Before You Die.
You can purchase Beach Cocktails on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart.
Tags: cocktails
