The Dictionary of Drink has the noble aim of being ‘a guide to every type of beverage’ and is the kind of thing one can happily browse for hours during a lazy session in the pub. We found a copy in the very fine King Charles I off Cally Road and signs were initially good as all the seasonal variations of Hooch were accounted for. However, it quickly became apparent that the authors’ research had been somewhat slapdash.
The failure to list all the ingredients in Um Bongo was forgivable but a much worse crime had been committed on one of the simplest of all cocktails:
Whaaaaa? Had they just not heard of tonic water? Apparently not as the mixer has its own entry. The error left us dumbstruck and wondering if some powerful soda lobby had bribed the publishers.
It’s still an entertaining read, especially if you enjoy boggling at glaring mistakes, but as a reference work you’re better off with Wikipedia.
Soda! Hang ’em high.
Hmm Gin and Tansy.
Note this book was on a shelf next to a 1000 page guide to MAGIC, which included a sectiopn on how to make a magic sword and a number of spells and incantations which, in our drunken state, we may have read out.
Gbbfflalghgaahh!
Maybe you transmogrified the concept of a G&T with yr spells!
Hang on, just the ONE MEASURE of gin? Methinks there is more than one error here.
Well as the soda / tonic is not measured, it really doesn’t matter if tyhe gin is, as long as the proportion is to taste.
Oh the flavours and variants of Hooch
HOOCH
Lemon, Apple, Orange, Blackcurrant
HOO-LA
Grapefruit / Pineapple (Lilt) Flavour
HOO-LA-LA
Five Alive flavoured World Cup tie in.
SMOOCH
Passionfruit flavour Valentines Day tie in
HO-HO-HOOCH
Cranberry juice flavoured Christmas tie in.
This book is being heavily discounted in the Borders sale at the moment, 70% off, I can’t imagine why. I picked it up, snorted in disgust, then went to wash my hands (WITH SODA OBV).
Also, looking at “gin aurum”… **4/10ths** of a measure????!!!
!!!!
you might as well not bother.