Why does a Manhattan cocktail and a hamburger make an insanely great pairing? Can strongly brewed black tea really scratch the itch for whiskey in a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned? How did the arrival of drinking straws make new types of cocktails possible?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kara Newman, the author of eight cocktail books.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
Giveaway
One of you is going to win a copy of one of Kara Newman's The Cocktail Cabinet. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
Highlights
Why has Audrey Saunders' Old Cuban endured as a modern classic while so many other cocktails have disappeared?
What happens when you replace the gin in a Negroni with a funky Jamaican rum?
What does setting a cocktail on fire actually add beyond the theatrics?
Is a Manhattan and a burger the ultimate food and cocktail pairing?
Have low and no-alcohol drinks have become too important for the drinks world to ignore?
How can aquafaba recreate the frothy texture of egg whites in a cocktail?
Why does the order of a dry shake and wet shake matter when making a frothy cocktail?
How can acid phosphate create the tartness of citrus without adding lemon or lime?
Why is balancing sweetness one of the hardest challenges when creating a great non-alcoholic cocktail?
Can strongly brewed tea really scratch the itch for whiskey in a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned?
How did early drinking straws make ice-filled cocktails like the Sherry Cobbler easier to enjoy?
What does Kara think the zero-proof spirits industry still needs to get right?
About Kara Newman
Kara Newman reviews spirits for Wine Enthusiast magazine, where she's also a writer-at-large covering cocktails, spirits and bar culture, from Cuban rum to the world's tiniest two-seat bar. Her work also appears in publications including Afar, Bloomberg Pursuits, Food & Wine, PUNCH, and the Wall Street Journal and BBC Travel. She's the author of seven cocktail books -- soon to be eight!
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/412.
