Book Clubs and Libations
Dear Everyone,
Recently, Professor Emerson sat down with Julie of A Tale of Many Reviews for an interview. You'll want to read it and enter the contest.
Those of you who have read "Gabriel's Inferno" know that the Professor is impatient with mediocrity. This impatience is directed at persons, places and things, especially those things having to do with the pleasures of the body. He's extremely fastidious about his choice of alcohol, for example, and how that alcohol is served.
A lovely group of ladies in Texas decided to read "Gabriel's Inferno" for their book club. They put together a drink list for each chapter, which, I'm told, made their meetings even more enjoyable. Here's an excerpt from their letter to me:
"When the book club I'm in, the Winsome Wenches of Windmere Place, a collection of bawdy babes who love to read and dissect good books, chose my recommendation of Sylvain Reynard's book, Gabriel's Inferno, as the next novel for our edification, amazement, and amusement, I was thrilled.
Our club meets in each other's homes on a rotating basis. We share a meal and drinks before we begin our feasting upon the chosen novel. I thought it might be fun to imbibe what the characters in Gabriel's Inferno drink in order to share their mind sets more acutely. Since the book was my recommendation, I also got the honor of creating the following schedule:
Week One
Chapters 1 – 3
pps. 1 – 20
For the less practiced and less refined palate, a Tequila Sunrise.
2 msr Tequila
orange juice
Pour tequila in a highball glass with ice, and top with orange juice. Stir. Add grenadine by tilting glass and pouring grenadine down side by flipping the bottle vertically very quickly. The grenadine should go straight to the bottom and then rise up slowly through the drink. Garnish stirrer straw with a cherry and a wedge of orange.
Week Two
Chapters 4 - 7
pps. 21 – 65
*Julia demonstrates how to properly drink wine.*
*Antonio serves Chianti.*
*Gabriel serves Chianti after letting it come to room temperature.*
Week Three
Chapters 8 - 9
pps. 66 – 109
*The girls drink Cosmopolitans."
Cosmopolitan
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz cranberry juice
Shake vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.
*Gabriel ordered a double shot of Laphroiag twenty-five year old neat with a small glass of spring water, non sparkling.
Laphroaig
(Pronounced: La-froigk) "
Thank you, Ladies, for preparing this guide and for sharing it with me.
If your Book Club decides to read "Gabriel's Inferno," would you let me know? The ladies of Windmere Place are willing to share their One Sip at a Time guide to the book. And if you need discussion questions, I can provide them.
As always, I welcome your comments. Thank you to everyone who commented on last week's post on Kindness.
All the best,
SR
PS. Through my Twitter account, I've been trying to highlight charities to raise awareness about various causes. If you're on Twitter, would you consider doing the same? Thank you.
