Drinking My Way Through the Literary 1930's

January 31, 2015 7:41 PM

Drinking My Way Through the Literary 1930's
I have been reading and reviewing drinks from the 1935 recipe book, So Red the Nose, along with the books they are based on.

In 1935, 35ish authors contributed themed cocktails based on one of their beloved works. While So Red the Nose gave us such a classics as Death in the Afternoon (Hemingway) and Esky's Hotspot, most of the drinks -- and authors -- have been forgotten to history.

I'm making my way through the book/cocktail combinations to see if there's anything worth revisiting.

Ask Metafilter was kind enough to help me with a future post.

Role: blogger

posted by Alexandra Michelle (7 comments total)

This project was posted to MetaFilter by Monsieur Caution on February 14, 2015: Go obscure, out-of-print, feminist, progressive, female authors!!! Woot!

The Laughing Boy drink sounds like something I should try sometime, it seems like it's basically an Old Fashioned but with New England Rum instead of Whiskey, no cherry, and a bit of sweet vermouth, and Old Fashioneds are delicious.

Sadly, the only thing I can make with my supplies on-hand are the one that's just a regular gin martini.

What I wouldn't give for a nice reprint of this book that wasn't $250+
posted by JauntyFedora at 2:27 PM on February 1, 2015 [1 favorite]

The rest of this section deals with the various other characters Kent met, fished and hunted with, or employed along the way, chief among them his kifak (um…”housekeeper”…*cough* *cough*) and the book’s namesake.

Ok, you gotta tell me what you're insinuating here.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:09 PM on February 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Juliet Banana, apparently, it was an open secret at the time that Kent's housekeeper was also his mistress.
posted by Alexandra Michelle at 8:02 PM on February 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Didn't know who Train was, now I do. I agree with you on that.

So many of the drinks so far are yellow(ish). I admire your fortitude in drinking that raw egg dealie.

Thanks for an entertaining look into a distant world.
posted by telstar at 11:23 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Neat stuff. I didn't know Rockwell Kent was an author. I know him for his sweet illustrations in Moby Dick. There are some interesting pictures of him here (I like this one).
posted by exogenous at 12:04 PM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

Aw . . . damn . . . alcohol and books, two of my weaknesses.
I clicked and the second one down in the Salamina.
I made 5 gallons of cider into Applejack late last year. After a few instances of excessive usage I have been looking for things to do with it.
Guess what I'ma gonna do tonight!
Thanks.

So, what did you use for applejack? Laird's?
I wonder what they would have used in 1935, distilled apple spirits like Laird's or homemade freeze concentrated applejack.
posted by Seamus at 1:40 PM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Seamus, I tried both Laird's and Calvados apple brandy. That's awesome that you make it yourself! I'm jealous!
posted by Alexandra Michelle at 4:47 PM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]