Welcome to our new weekly roundup of interesting cocktail articles plus a few fun news bits just made for cocktail party conversation starters.
Cocktail Reading Roundup
Origin Story: The Martini Glass in Imbibe
Is it time to give up on the classic martini glass? Wayne Curtis explores the history of this iconic piece of glassware and argues that its design flaws mean it’s time to replace it with something more historically accurate.
Columbian Bartender Shakes Up Cocktail World in Paris for Insperelle
An interesting interview with Carina Soto Velásquez of Quixotic Projects, the team that brought Paris Candelaria, Glass, Mary Celste, Hero and now Les Grands Verres. Turns out you need more than talent to achieve her kind of success – she works her butt off!
The Rise and Fall of the Aviation Cocktail for PUNCH
Robert Simonson writes about how the tide has turned for this once darling of the cocktail revivalists and why it’s not as popular as it was a decade or two ago and what made it so beloved in the beginning of the movement (spoiler alert: part of the reason involves the mythical status attributed to hard to find ingredients).
Botanical Foraging Tips from the Masters on TotC
I like the idea of modern, urban foraging and given its popularity in certain circles, we’ll surely be seeing more of it in Paris soon. This article drops some tips and info on how to forage if you’re tempted to try this modern trend.
The Making of Muldoon for Drinks International
Hamish Smith tells all on how Mr Muldoon went from just wanting “to be the best fucking bartender in the world” to actually owning a couple of the best bars in the word.
Yes, You Can Absolutely Be a Bartender and a Parent. But there are Challenges on Liquor.com
As those who were on the forefront of the current craft cocktail revival are growing up, they face new challenges like how to balance bar life with family. This is an interesting take from some of the industry’s big names on what it’s like to do both. (full discloser, I didn’t read this one this week, but I thought it was an interesting read worth pointing out)
Cocktail Party Conversation Starters
My weekly reading isn’t all cocktails all the time. And sometimes I come across some good little nuggets of cocktail party conversation starters. Like:
Did you hear about the octogenarians stuffing family and friend’s stockings with 60 lbs of weed?
Did you hear about the manatee mailbox with a costume for every season?
Did you hear about the man with the world’s largest penis?
And, this week, when I’m not reading cocktail news or finding bizarre conversation starters, I’m reading Graham Greene’s The Quiet American.
So, what are you reading?