Cyder with Eloise

“A good drink – the right drink poured at just the right moment – becomes not just a thirst-quencher, but part of our social fabric.” – from How to Drink.

As I start this post it’s a Peach Bellini – well you have to start the New Years Eve off in some style. I might finish the post with an aspirin and a large mug of tea tomorrow.

The book I have been reading these past few days is “How To Drink” by the Guardian’s wine writer Victoria Moore. I saw this book a few months back and put it on my wish list as I was not sure if it was something I’d really want to buy for myself, so I was quite pleased when I received it at Christmas.

I love reading cookbooks – the sort with a story and background. I like to learn about the history of the food, the author and the region of where the food is from. The actual ‘how-to’ of putting a dish together is really a by-product.

This book does precisely that. In brief granted, as many drinks require whole library sections dedicated to them, but the novel thing about this book is it is all about drinks, alcohol or alcohol free, and not just how to throw together a brain aching number of cocktails. Victoria provides some historical background on numerous well known spirits as well as some of the lesser known or less popular drinks.

I want to cut out and laminate the tea section to have to hand every time I get served up some dishwater. I want to send a copy to every hotel, cafe and restaurant from here to Sydney who has ever served me a cup of tea, and shout “look this is how you do it!” It just shouldn’t be so hard to get a decent cuppa right, yet I don’t remember the last time I had a good one served outside my kitchen. I have a friend who considers it snobby to purchase anything more then supermarket own brand tea. If only I had the patience to sit down with them and do a tea tasting. Twinning’s Everyday is good enough if you want a bag tea, but loose leaf is far superior. I do have some favorites including Sri Lankan Broken Orange Pekoe, the wonderful Oolong I have just bought that I serve up in this cute tea service from Lahloo Tea – Thank you to my brother for my Christmas present.

But back to the book and just a warning. You may be better off reading this in a tee-total household as I was constantly tempted to rush to the drinks cabinet and rustle up various concoctions along the way, no matter the time of day.

The books structure covers the seasons although Victoria is not suggesting you only drink certain drinks at those times of the year; but a mulled wine and a Pimms all have their own special place in both my heart and the calendar. There are suggestions to help you marry up different foods to drinks, handy if your hosting a party and are unsure what to serve, especially if your guests are the sort to pick up on such things.

You may also find yourself sorely disappointed by your local pub after reading this. I was served a single shot of Amaretto in a warm grubby half pint glass the other day. Normally I would just shrug and bear it. After all I’m only the paying customer. What right do I have to tell them how to do their job? I found myself feeling quite put out and I wanted to demand that I received the one glass that I know they have for the correct drink, demand fresh ice was rushed in from the supermarket and as an apology for my troubles, a drink on the house! If I had been served a plate of food that I was unhappy with, I would have considered it acceptable to complain. But for some reason we often just put up with shoddy service for a drink, and really, why should we?

We have a great off-license near us that has ‘almost’ every drink under the sun on sale. They have a very extensive spirit selection. I had to resist the temptation to start buying various bitters and liquors and stocking up my already heaving liqueur cabinet, in case I fancied one of the cocktails mentioned in the book.

On New Years Eve we visited a different local pub where I had a really pleasant Hendricks Gin and Tonic (Fever Tree). I’m sure if I had looked over the counter I would have found a copy of this book!

I have friends who call me a food snob and I do hope that I’m not becoming a drink snob as well, because I think I could become very boring if that were the case. I do believe in spending good money on good food and eating healthily, and that should not just stop at food but should mean good drink too. “How to Drink” is a great handbook to browse through (or read cover to cover like I did) that will help you to do just that.