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.