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:
Shake (vigorously for 20 seconds) all ingredients except the egg white with ice and double strain back into the shaker.
Add the egg white and the spring from the Hawthorne strainer to the shaker.
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.
Garnish with berry powder or a fresh raspberry on a toothpick.
Cheers! Happy Reading!
