Tuesday, April 24, 2018

A Classic Spin on Party


Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks – Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington (Running Press)

My first impression of this book is that it should come with a couple of warning labels.

Warning #1 – If you try to drink your way through this book you will go broke. The plethora of spirits and mixers will break the bank. Suggestion- invite friends to share the bottom line and the fun! Except the Seduce chapter…unless that’s the way you roll.

Warning #2 – If you try to listen your way through this book you will go broke. Unless you have a substantial and diverse vinyl collection you will again, need to invite your friends who have great vinyl collections to bring along some sides. The music part of this book made me cry as I once again lamented the selling off of my vinyl collection which once numbered near 7500 albums and became too unwieldy to move. By the way for the Seduce chapter, borrow the Sinatra and Marvin Gaye…unless that’s the way you roll.



Once again the brother and sister team of Andre and Tenaya Darlington have come up with a great concept in the form of Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music and Mixed Drinks. While you may have heard of food and drink pairings, this is the first I have ever heard of matching the perfect album with the perfect drink.

Last time out, the Darlington’s matched food and movies for Movie Night Menus, so this is a perfect next step. Their taste in music shows the right mix of eclectic styles ranging from R&B and blues to rock and soul, with few standards thrown in for good measure. The drinks run the gamut from new twists to old classic to the keep simple of the AC/DC open bar, which sounds about right.

The only glaring error was in the form of a food pairing, which they sprinkle in along the way; Marvin Gaye and avocado toast?! Any true connoisseur knows that the perfect pairing with Marvin is chilled champagne and a fresh can of whip cream. Now that’s the way I roll.  

No comments: