the oxford companion to spirits and cocktails

​THE OXFORD COMPANION TO SPIRITS & COCKTAILS
Edited by David Wondrich with Noah Rothbaum
Foreword by Marcus Samuelsson
Oxford University Press, 2022
$65.00

To say this book is an exhaustive exploration of the world of Spirits and Cocktails would be an understatement.  Part encyclopedia, part history, part recipe book and possibly even a door stop, this book is huge coming in at 834 pages and a fairly hefty price tag at $65.00 (USD) but worth every penny if you enjoy a good cocktail and want to learn it’s history and enjoy the journey that comes from discovery. 
 
This mighty collection of alcoholic drinks and bartending techniques from around the world gives clear descriptions of all the myriad methods of distillation, fermentation and ageing and includes a plethora of details on the cocktail renaissance of the past 20 years.  Covering drinks from Absinthe to Zombies, it’s all about the history, culture and consumption of cocktails from around the world.  You have so much to learn, and the authors are dream teachers that drive you to want to keep turning the pages.
 
What’s in this glass?  That really is the question the authors try to answer for us.  There’s chemistry, engineering, science and history in every glass of spirits we consume, and we learn those stories and our lives are better for it. 
 
While not a book that you will simply sit down and read, it’s a “rabbit hole” kind of book.  You read one entry and find out a little part of the story and then you are off searching for the next part.  It’s a beautiful book filled with illustrations and photographs and over 1,000 entries.  It’s encyclopedic and readable and downright fun.  A great addition to any foodie library.  Cheers!