The Newfoundland and Labrador Cocktail Book: The Definitive Guide to Cocktails Across the Province by Peter Wilkins

Whether you are just starting out, or a seasoned mixologist, The Newfoundland and Labrador Cocktail Book by Peter Wilkins,  is an easy to use book designed to expand your cocktail repertoire while offering a solid foundation for understanding the allure of mixed drinks using locally sourced ingredients from Newfoundland and Labrador. As it's title suggests this "definitive guide" to smooth tipples, flavourful highballs, and bold spirits is sure to pack a boozy punch and will no doubt become a well-used staple in your cocktail cabinet. 

From the very beginning readers will get a sense that this book is to be savoured and enjoyed. The Foreword is nostalgic, detailing the fun and merriment of kitchen parties and multigenerational get togethers fueled by liquid bliss, music and dancing. This book is about more than just a compilation of cocktail recipes but "about community, about gatherings that only end at dawn".  Author and Co-Founder of The Newfoundland Distillery Company, Peter Wilkins, invites readers to be adventurous and approach the repertoire with a reason to celebrate. Whether it be "a little celebration of the day, hour, company, a small feat or a moment" he reminds readers that a cocktail is both "life-changing and, most certainly, life affirming!" It is simply the tie that binds.

The physicality of the book is quite pleasing. Soft-covered and just the right size, the photos of cocktails made from Newfoundland Distillery gin, rum, and vodka accompany each easy to follow recipe and are colorful, warm and enticing.  Salt rimmed glasses, elegant flutes, sprigs of mint, a twist of lemon or a slice of lime; the photography is a feast for the eyes, leaving the mouth watering for just a sip. Wilkins also includes interesting historical notes surrounding the featured cocktail as well as his impression of the blended flavours providing proof of his passion for cocktail making and expert knowledge of mixology. Readers who are new to this wonderful world of cocktail making will be pleased to know that Wilkins offers tips on how to properly stock your at home bar and digs in to the tools and techniques of creating the perfect mix including recipes for homemade syrups and sweeteners. The section entitled Our Spirits provides a wealth of information on the seven varieties of spirits produced by the distillery in Clarkes Beach, Newfoundland and is a must read before stocking your bar. In fact, you might even be surprised by how many cocktails you can make from purchasing just one or two of the internationally awarded spirits. 

Divided by style (Highballs, Sweet, Light,  A Certain Delight, Bolder, Boozier, and For the Palate That's Choosier), there is a cocktail for everyone!   The author has included easy drinking cocktails that everyone loves like the refreshing Moscow Mule but has also included classic drinks with a twist such as the Rumhattan which, you probably guessed, is a twist on the ever popular Manhattan using the famous Chaga Rum. The Newfoundland Negroni made from Gunpowder and Rose Rum packs a nice punch and for those who enjoy citrus drinks the Salty Sailor made from Seaweed Gin is sure to get you smacking your lips. And who could pass up an opportunity to make a cocktail dating from the early 1800's? The Otterbury Fashioned, a take on the classic Old Fashioned, uses Aquavit, a Newfoundland "whisky" mixed with molasses syrup. As Wilkins reminds us, however, in the world of cocktails "there is never an outright winner, as subjectivity is what makes it such fun." The final chapter in Wilkins book explores cocktails from across the province; recipes from award winning, nationally and internationally renowned bars, breweries and restaurants who have mastered the art of a good cocktail using spirits distilled by The Newfoundland Distillery. 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Cocktail Book by Peter Wilkins is an adventure waiting to happen! Each recipe is filled with the promise of a unique and great tasting creation to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, shared with friends or as a celebration of anything and everything.  The Newfoundland and Labrador Cocktail Book: The Definitive Guide to Cocktails Across the Province by Peter Wilkins is a Breakwater Books publication.