From Endings to Beginnings: Toasting “The Wedding People” with the Obituary Cocktail.

In Allison Espach’s charming novel The Wedding People, two women forge an unlikely bond when one arrives at a swanky Newport, Rhode Island hotel in a green dress and gold heels, no suitcase in hand, with personal plans that threaten to derail a bridezilla’s perfectly planned wedding weekend. What follows is a darkly funny and tender exploration of unexpected friendship, self-discovery, and the surprising ways that strangers can help other people go after what they really want.

Espach strikes a delicate balance between the story’s darker moments and its humor, creating a sharp, witty narrative filled with emotionally resonant characters. Phoebe and Lila could have been clichés, but instead, they feel fully human, carrying the weight of their pasts while stumbling toward a brighter, more authentic future. The result is an entertaining and poignant story about friendship and fresh starts.

The Obituary cocktail is a fitting match for this novel; it takes the traditional gin martini and adds a hint of absinthe, mirroring the characters’ efforts to transform their lives from familiar patterns into something new. Its name might sound dark, but like the novel, it’s more about the endings that open the door to new beginnings. Complex and thought-provoking, it’s a creation to savor—just like The Wedding People.

Drink Instructions:

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 ounces gin (recommended: London Dry)

• 1/2 ounce dry vermouth

• 6 dashes absinthe 

Garnish:

• A strip of lemon peel (twist), expressed and discarded

Instructions:

1. Pour the gin, dry vermouth, and absinthe into a mixing glass.

2. Add plenty of ice and stir gently for about 20–30 seconds to chill and slightly dilute the mixture. You don’t want to bruise the gin. 

3. Strain into a well-chilled Martini glass.

4. Express the oils from a lemon twist over the surface of the drink, then discard the twist.

5. Serve immediately and savor the spirit-forward complexity of this classic cocktail.

Bright and Sophisticated: How Muchu Picchu Elevates the Love and Connection of Bel Canto

Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto is a beautiful exploration of human connection and the contrasts that shape our relationships. Set in the elegant home of the vice president of an unnamed South American country, the novel begins with a glittering party in honor of a visiting Japanese executive’s birthday. World-renowned opera singer Roxane Coss mesmerizes the audience, but the evening is abruptly upended when armed guerrillas storm the mansion and take the group hostage.

What starts with intense and contrasting action—from a standing ovation and an unexpected kiss to darkness, terror, and violence—gradually transitions into a quiet, reflective story as the hostages and captors settle into a strange shared existence. They tiptoe around cultural and social boundaries, forming unlikely relationships and revealing universal desires for love, meaning, and connection. Themes of wealth and poverty, power and helplessness, and hope and fear weave throughout the story, offering a meditation on the vulnerability and complexities of being human.

The Mucho Picchu cocktail is a natural companion to this novel, reflecting its themes and emotional undercurrents. Pisco, a South American brandy, symbolizes both strength and vulnerability, echoing the relationships between the characters. Champagne’s bright effervescence captures the fleeting moments of celebration and peace, like the bubbles of joy before the night descends into chaos. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, with its Italian roots, adds richness and ties to opera, connecting to Roxane’s artistry and the cultural elements of the story. Grapefruit juice provides a tangy-sweet balance, much like the mix of tenderness and tension that runs through the novel.

Even the drink’s soft pink color mirrors the bittersweet tone of Bel Canto. Much like the conversations in the story—about love, time, and the human experience—the cocktail’s blend of flavors enhances the reading experience, offering a sophisticated and memorable pairing.

Crafting the Perfect Mucho Picchu: this recipe was inspired by Joaquin Simo from the Death and Co. Modern Classic Cocktails book.

• Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces Macchu Pisco

• 1/4 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

• 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• Dry champagne

• Garnish: 1 grapefruit twist

• Instructions:

• Shake all ingredients except champagne with ice.

• Strain into a champagne flute.

• Top with dry champagne.

• Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

• Glassware:

• Use a traditional champagne flute to accommodate volume and preserve bubbles.

The Hanky Panky: Bold, playful, and mischievous

The Whalebone Theatre and the Hanky Panky Cocktail: Bold, playful, and mischievous

In Joanna Quinn’s The Whalebone Theatre, spunky and creative Cristabel Seagrave and her half-siblings transform the bones of a beached whale into a makeshift theater on a crumbling English country estate. While the adults around them throw decadent parties and chase after fleeting romances, the children find joy in designing and performing their own productions, creating a world where they can escape the chaos of their upbringing. The children come of age at the onset of WWII, and Cristabel channels her childhood boldness and sense of adventure to become a spy for the British, never forgetting how the theater shaped her into the woman she becomes. Quinn adeptly balances the innocence and playfulness of youth with complexities and passions of adulthood, interlacing secrets and clandestine goings-on into the narrative. 

We paired The Whalebone Theatre with the 1930s Hanky Panky cocktail, a Savoy classic by Ada Coleman. Combining Fernet Branca, Italian vermouth, and dry gin, this drink mirrors the novel’s spirit—bold, intriguing, and just a little mischievous. The cocktail's playful name and refined ingredients perfectly complement the book's celebration of love, creativity, and nonconformity, with a dash of adventure thrown in for good measure. 

This cocktail is modeled on Ada Coleman’s Hanky Panky. She was the London Savoy Hotel's head bartender from 1903 until 1926. 

Ingredients:

2 dashes Fernet Branca

1 ½ oz Italian Vermouth

1 ½ oz Dry Gin

1 Orange Peel for garnish

Instructions:

Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express the orange peel and leave in the glass as garnish.

The Pink Lady: a cheeky nod…

Daniel Mason’s North Woods is a captivating novel about the power of place - in this case a yellow house nestled in an apple orchard - through the many people (and ghosts) who live in it over several centuries. As occupants come and go - from the young Puritan lovers escaping their community who lay the first stone for the house, to the arborist who plants the surrounding apple orchard, his daughters who inherit the land, and a slew of other seemingly disconnected and tragic characters, the house and its surrounding woods endure, silently bearing witness as each character leaves its mark on the house and its history. The novel is a rich, multi-layered story exploring themes of heritage, the American landscape, and the interplay between the supernatural, appearance, and reality. It’s a beautiful testament to the invisible links that connect us through nature and time. 

Our cocktail choice, The Pink Lady, complements the novel’s spunky characters and American roots. This vibrant and flavorful drink combines gin, lemon, grenadine, and American apple brandy, offering a playful nod to the book's themes and a wink to Mary and Alice's memorable dresses. 

The American apple brandy, a nod to the novel's orchard setting, adds a touch of warmth and complexity to the cocktail, mirroring the enduring spirit of the characters and the house itself. The Pink Lady is a fitting tribute to North Woods, a novel that packs a wallop with its depth of characters and exploration of American heritage.

This cocktail is modeled on The Cocktail Seminars by Brian D. Howfling, section 2.25 (The Pink Lady)

Glassware: Chilled cocktail glass

Ingredients:

1.5 oz London Dry Gin 

1/2 oz American Apple Brandy

3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 

1/2 oz Simple Syrup 

1/2 oz Grenadine 

1 oz Egg White 

Garnish: skewered apple slices

Instructions:

Combine gin, apple brandy, lemon juice, simple syrup, grenadine, and egg white in a shaker. The egg white adds a silky texture and a frothy top. Dry shake (without ice) vigorously for about 15 seconds. This step is essential for emulsifying the egg white, creating a silky, smooth foam. Add ice to the shaker and shake again vigorously for another 15 seconds. This second shake chills the mixture while maintaining the frothiness. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass without ice. Note: Carefully pour the mixture over the back of a spoon to hold the silky foam layer on top. Garnish with skewered apple slices, if desired.

A Steamy Sip…

Hot Buttered Cherry Rum

Inspired by the layered complexity and underlying sweetness of All Fours, this cocktail is a playful nod to the protagonist's journey. A hot drink that captures the character's messy yet determined nature, it begins with rich, dark rum—a nod to her fixation on her 'bum' and the novel's sensual undertones. Warm butter and cherry add comforting indulgence, reflecting her junk food obsession, while whipped cream and ice cream bring a touch of guilty pleasure. The deep, earthy notes of vanilla beans (substituting for Tonka beans, which are illegal in the United States), and the fragrant scent of dark honey enhance the cherries, echoing the "vision" for her remodeled motel room. Each sip is as layered and intriguing as the character herself. This drink is as hot and bothered as the title suggests—a perfect companion for getting lost in the pages of July’s witty, bold, and self-indulgent narrative.

This cocktail is a cross between Nick Hydro’s Hot Buttered Rum (Painter’s Tavern Hudson, NY), as noted in Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology, and Kevin Diedrich’s Hot Buttered Pisco, as indicated in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book.

Ingredients:

1 tsp honey

2 ounces dark rumor spiced rum

3 tsp of Vanilla Cherry Butter (heated or at room temperature)

4 ounces hot water

Plus 1 Maraschino cherry and lightly sweetenwhipped cream for garnish

Place the honey and hot water in a mug and stir well to dissolve the honey. Add the rum and the Vanilla Cherry Butter. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a cherry.

Vanilla Cherry Butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 pint Haagen-Dazs Cherry Vanilla ice cream

1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder

1 tsp honey 

Add butter, vanilla bean, and honey to the pot and heat until they melt over medium heat. Then add brown sugar and stir until the lumps are gone. Add the ice cream and stir until smooth and thick.  Strain out cherries from ice cream. Use three teaspoons for the hot buttered cherry rum beverage and store the remainder in a nonreactive container in the freezer.

"The Boys in the Boat" and the 1936 Olympic Fizz cocktail!

The Paris Olympic Games kick off tomorrow, and I wanted to celebrate an Olympic story from our book club's backlog. It doesn't get better than "The Boys in the Boat."

"The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown is an amazing story about the American rowing team that competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. During the Great Depression, nine scrappy, working-class boys from the University of Washington defied the odds to become a legendary team. At the story's heart is Joe Rantz, whose grit and determination helped him overcome a challenging and sometimes parentless childhood.

With the help of their dedicated coach, Al Ulbrickson, and the genius boat builder, George Pocock, the team developed a unique rowing style that was all about harmony and unity. Their four-year journey to the Olympics was filled with vigorous training, fierce rivalries, and emotionally whiplashed victories, leading to a nail-biter final race. The book not only celebrates their remarkable achievements but also depicts a picture of the 1930s, including the rise of Nazi Germany, all while showcasing the power of perseverance, teamwork, and the human spirit.

To celebrate the incredible story of "The Boys in the Boat” I give you the 1936 Olympic Fizz cocktail! This delightful drink is a playful twist on the classic Gin Fizz and is a nod to the American crew's spirit, precision, and unity. Created around the 1880’s, the Fizz cocktails were known as morning-after hangover cures, filled with citrus, bubbles, and protein. Just like their synchronized rowing led to victory, this blend of ingredients creates a refreshing, character-filled drink. Cheers to the legacy of "The Boys in the Boat" and the Olympic spirit!

Ingredients:

- 2 oz Gin: A classic spirit that nods to the era, I used Oola’s Waitsburg Barrel-Finished Gin out of Washington State.

-  1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice: For a burst of zest and vigor.

-  ¾ oz Honey Syrup: Symbolizes sweet teamwork and adds a natural color.

-  1 oz Egg White: Adds smooth texture and foam, balancing the sweet and sour elements.

-  Top with Club Soda: Adds a bubbly splash of energy and movement.

- One lemon wheel for a touch of freshness. and/or

- A sprig of mint for an outdoor feel.

Honey syrup:

-  Mix 3 Tablespoons of honey and 1 Tablespoon of hot water.

Instructions:

1. In a shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, and egg white. The egg white is key to the frothy consistency, just like the precise teamwork of the rowing crew.

2. Dry shake (without ice) vigorously for at least 15 seconds to create a silky, smooth foam.

3. Add ice to the shaker and shake again vigorously for another 15 seconds to chill the mixture while keeping it frothy.

4. Double strain into a glass without ice.

5. Gently top with club soda for the fizz, carefully pouring it over the back of a spoon to keep the frothy layer intact.

6. Garnish with a lemon wheel and/or a sprig of mint.

This cocktail is more than just a drink; it's a toast to the perseverance and unity of a legendary team. Cheers!

"The Ministry of Time" and The Chain-Smoker

"The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley blends time travel, romance, and historical mystery. The story revolves around Commander Graham Gore, a Victorian polar explorer who finds himself thrust into the 21st century as part of a government experiment. Bradley's interest in Gore was sparked by “The Terror," a TV miniseries about the historical Royal Navy’s Franklin's Arctic expedition. The novel explores Gore's adaptation to modern times and his romantic relationship with a modern-day civil servant while examining themes of colonialism and identity.

I wanted the drink to emphasize some of those unforeseen quirky adjustments, and low and behold, I found a tasty beverage. In the 19th century, Gore suffered from scurvy due to a lack of vitamin C, but in the 21st century, he overcompensates with an obsession for vitamin C supplements--the man even loses a tooth, for crying out loud. Historically known for smoking cigars, Gore humorously adapts to modern times by making cigarettes his constant companions, puffing away like a human chimney. This inspired the creation of the perfect drink to pair with the novel, resulting in the Chain-mmoker cocktail.

Pairing the Novel with a Cocktail: THE CHAIN-SMOKER

Inspired by Commander Gore's journey from the 19th to the 21st century, the Chain-Smoker cocktail is a slight adaptation of Sam Ross's Penicillin cocktail. When I was surfing through various scotch cocktails, scotch being the whiskey that Commander Gore would have drank in his time, this one stood out—the idea that time travelers might need to be inoculated for certain diseases. I switched out the juice and modified the garnish, resulting in an even more aromatic experience.

Cheers to many more pages and pours!

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz blended Scotch whisky (a nod to Gore’s era)

• 3/4 oz fresh orange juice (chosen for its high vitamin C content compared to other citrus fruits)

• 3/4 oz honey-ginger syrup

• 1/4 oz Islay single malt Scotch (for a smoky peat finish)

• One orange (for juice, peel, and garnish)

• Garnish: thin slice of candied ginger, candied orange peel, and flames orange peel

Instructions:

1. Make a quick and easy Honey-Ginger Syrup

• Mix 3 Tablespoons of honey and 1 Tablespoon of hot water.

• Make the ginger syrup; mix 4 Tablespoons ginger juice with 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar over low heat, stirring until the sugar is fully incorporated.

• Combine 1 oz of the honey syrup with 1 oz of ginger syrup, then measure ¾ oz for the drink. Place the remainder in a small container and refrigerate for a second drink.

2. Make the Cocktail

• Shake blended Scotch, orange juice, and honey-ginger syrup with ice.

• Strain into a rocks glass with a large king ice (nod to a glacier)

• Float Islay single malt Scotch on top.

3. Flame and Express the Orange Peel: Flaming and expressing an orange peel is a technique used to add aromatic oils and a smoky flavor to a cocktail. Here's how to do it:

• Cut the Peel: Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to cut a wide strip of orange peel, avoiding too much of the bitter white pith underneath.

• Hold the Peel: Hold the peel by its edges, with the orange side facing the drink and the pith side facing you.

• Light the Flame: Use a match or a lighter to create a flame. Position the flame about 2-3 inches from the orange peel.

• Heat the Peel: Gently warm the orange side of the peel by moving it slowly over the flame. Be careful not to burn it.

• Express the Oils: Quickly squeeze the peel over the flame and the cocktail. The oils from the peel will ignite briefly, creating a small flame and releasing aromatic oils into the drink.

• Rub the Peel: After flaming, rub the peel around the rim of the glass to impart more of the citrus aroma.

4. Garnish:

• Flag (wrap) the orange peel around the candied orange peel and a stripe of candied ginger and spear with a toothpick

• Place the assembled “ship” inside the glass.

Pairing Pages with Pride: Celebrating “Less” and the Red Velvet Sour

Welcome to Hardcovers and Highballs, the blog where we pair novels with cocktails!

In honor of the San Francisco Pride Parade, we start with the book that launched my journey into pairing cocktails with novels—"Less" by Andrew Sean Greer. It’s been over four years since I began this venture, and it all started with "Less."

My foray into pairing cocktails with books didn't officially begin until our seventh book club selection. However, the end of May marked a significant event-my brother's wedding to his partner. At the wedding, his soccer team insisted I try a particular drink. The moment it touched my lips, I knew it was the perfect match for the novel 'Less '‘

"Less" by Andrew Sean Greer is a charming and comedic novel that follows the misadventures of failed novelist Arthur Less as he travels the world to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend's wedding. It's a story of self-discovery and the search for love.

In celebration of "Less" and Pride month, I present to you the Red Velvet Sour. Just as Arthur Less receives his ex’s wedding invitation, it's the icing on the cake of a terrible time—the countdown to turning 50. But, like all good stories of self-discovery and bittersweet romance, nothing is better than cake. Ironically, I, too, just turned 50. I totally forgot that Less was turning 50—crazy!

Over the next year, I will share the other 40+ books my book club, the Plague Sisters, has read since the start of the pandemic, along with their corresponding cocktail pairings. I hope you enjoy reading and learning about these delightful combinations as much as I enjoy finding, tweaking, and matching cocktails with books. It’s been a fun learning experience for me, and I hope you will savor each one, too.

Three Bears Brewery and Restaurant in Banff, Alberta, Canada, kindly shared their recipe for the Red Velvet Sour. They use the wonderfully delicious, slightly sweet, and buttery Park Vodka, which is not sold in the United States. They mix their own raspberry syrup and have outstanding customer service. So, if you find yourself in Banff, please treat yourself to a wonderful, tasty experience at Three Bears Brewery or try it at home using the suggested alternative ingredients.

Recipe: Red Velvet Sour

Glassware: Chilled coupe or cocktail glass

Method: Reverse Dry Shake
Ingredients:

• 1 oz Vodka

• 1 oz Cocchi Rosa (aperitif wine from Italy)

• 1/2 oz Raspberry syrup*

• 1/4 oz Simple syrup

• 1/4 oz Lemon juice

• 1 oz Egg white

Raspberry syrup: Combine 3 parts Raspberry Seedless Jam and 1 part hot water over low heat to dissolve the jam. For two cocktails, use 3 tablespoons of jam and 1 tablespoon of water.

Instructions:

1. Shake (vigorously for 20 seconds) all ingredients except the egg white with ice and double strain back into the shaker.

2. Add the egg white and the spring from the Hawthorne strainer to the shaker.

3. Dry shake (without ice and (vigorously for 30 seconds) ) and pour directly into a chilled glass. The spring acts like a whisk, whipping the egg whites to create a smooth and thick foam, like icing on a cake.

4. Garnish with berry powder or a fresh raspberry on a toothpick.

Cheers! Happy Reading!