Boozy Brunch: The Quintessential Guide to Daytime Drinking Hardcover – September 15, 2012

I've always loved the idea of afternoon cocktails, ever since I was a teenager and my uncle took me to the famous Raffles Hotel Bar in Singapore where I ogled at all the smartly dressed people sipping their famous Gin Slings. With Boozy Brunch, Peter Joseph has written a swanky book about cocktails that makes drinking at luncheon seem just as splendidly louche as the scene at that fancy hotel. There are many delicious concoctions in Boozy Brunch, some are simple, some more complicated, but all are fascinating mixture of tastes, colors and textures with the occasional wild ingredient (Cocoa Puffs! Bacon!).Joseph's book makes you think of a cocktail brunch as something fun and edifying--a gathering of witty friends imbibing tasty drinks and eating good food. It's the young hip Brooklyn Bunch as opposed to the old debauched Rat Pack. Joseph wants to help you create an atmosphere of good nature where conversation flows, helped along by a little fancy liquid lubrication. The book also includes recipes for things like egg and cheese strata as well as handy instructions for making your own simple syrup (a key ingredient in many of the drinks) and orgeat syrup--essential for a proper Mai Tai. The text is written in a spirited voice with a wry (or should I say rye?) wit. His introduction to hangover cures is hilarious.You can start out really easy with the mixes in Boozy Brunch and work your way up to something more time consuming to prepare. The first thing I made was a Bellini (peach puree and prosecco) which took about five minutes. My wife and I thought it was delish. I'm looking forward to a Suffering Bastard which appeals to me not only for its Monty Pythonesque name but because it calls for dark rum and overproof rum. And the pyro boy in me is very excited about the idea of melting a sugar cube in burning brandy for a Café Royale.The design of the book is neat: it lays flat on your bar or kitchen countertop for easy reference. The lovely photos by Salma Khalil make all the drinks look sensual and enticing (you see every drop of condensation on the glasses, every champagne fizz).Boozy Brunch: the Quintessential Guide to Daytime Drinking will appeal to anyone who loves to drink alcohol for the pleasures and tastes of drinking rather than merely for getting drunk. We're already planning our first boozy brunch with friends. Cheers to Peter Joseph!

As the name says, this book is more than a collection of cocktail recipes - it is a guide to daytime drinking - complete with historical notes and quotes. As a guide book, it carries the perfect combination of guide and guile without ever becoming complicated. Helpful quotes range from Dean Martin’s advice for avoiding hangovers, “Stay Drunk!” To the wide ranging benefits of champagne as recognized by Winston Churchill. “In victory we deserve it, in defeat, we need it.”To put the book to the test I chose to make the recommended pairing: Coffee Nudge along with the Chocolate Chip and Bacon Pancakes. Four of my favorite flavors in one breakfast: coffee, chocolate, bacon and maple syrup. The only place I cheated was substituting the Irish coffee whipped cream for Ready Whip. The homemade pancakes were a stretch for me, so I took it easy on myself with the whipped cream. The work that went into the pancakes was worth it. They were delicious. And, the bacon gave the perfect savory compliment to the chocolaty pancakes with real maple syrup.The book is a winner. From the recipes to the anecdotes, I highly recommend it!

As someone who appreciates a good cocktail but is a little leery of the knowledge and cost needed to make them myself, I am glad I bought this book. It is a great reference for making robust, delicious drinks. Also, there's a lot of general cocktail knowledge in the book that can be carried over into multiple variations of the preparations presented. And the food recipes were a pleasant surprise! This book makes me excited to get up early on the weekends.

I love this book. Great photos, great variations on classic drinks. Most importantly, it introduced me to Egg & Cheese Strata, which I've made at least a dozen times since finding it in the book.

A great collection of classic and nouveau cocktails and accent eats! Not even a quarter of the way through the delightful and delicious recipes and I must say this is one if the most well balanced comprehensive guides for entertaining intimate groups or family gatherings. I can see using this over and over, a classic!

GREAT book! Taught me a ton of new cocktails and recipes while giving me context for where they came from. Love it so much I've given it to 2 of my family members who are cock-tail junkies as gifts.

Some good brunches.

A fun book for people who like to brunch.