Every so often I come across a situation where two of my worlds collide…and while most of that time that can be bad, today it’s actually a good thing. The “worlds” I’m talking about are camping and cocktails. If you’re like me, you look forward to a beverage (or two) after a long hike whether you’re camping or not…so why not do it right?
With that in mind, I was luck enough to receive an early copy of Camp Cocktails, by Author Emily Vikre, Virke Distillery and as you can tell by the title, this book has your end-of-hike cocktail needs covered. If you’re not familiar, here’s a quick description from the publisher:
Cabin trips, hikes, patio parties, camping adventures—however you enjoy the great outdoors, it should be fun and easy. And so should the drinks! Simplicity, though, doesn't mean you're limited to a bottle and a mixer. With Camp Cocktails (February 25, 2020 | Harvard Common Press | US $26.99), you'll have a variety of options for simple and tasty drinks that are ready to go wherever you go.
Cool off after a hot day spent hiking through the woods with a Flask Boulevardier or the Northwoods Sidecar. Break in the campsite with a Grilled Orange Cobbler or the ultimate beer-based cocktail. Bundling up around the fire? Warm up with the Salted Nutella Hot Chocolate, the Penicillin Toddy, or a spiked hot apple cider. If you’re ready to go a step further, there’s even a chapter for using foraged ingredients.
Every recipe comes with easy-to-follow instructions, and many feature expert bartender tips and hacks. A variety of occasions are all here, from stargazing to boating. And to round it all out, there's a whole chapter dedicated to foraging/found ingredients, and integrating nature into your favorite cocktails.
The boot was written by author Emily Vikre, co-founder of Vikre Distillery, so she knows a thing or two about spirits. Here’s Emily’s bio: Emily Vikre is a native Duluthian who holds a PhD in food policy and behavioral theory from Tufts University. She is co-founder and co-owner of Vikre Distillery, which has been named best craft spirits distillery by USA Today. They have also won a slew of technical awards: a gold and five silvers at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition; gold, silver, and bronze awards from the American Craft Distiller’s Association; silvers and bronze from the American Distilling Institute; and two Good Food awards in 2018. A nationally recognized food and drinks writer, Emily has been a regular columnist for Food52, and has written for Lucky Peach, Minnesota Public Radio and Norwegian American Weekly.
The book looks great and I really liked the photography. I’ll admit I tried to figure out where some of the locations were and if I had been hiking there myself. The cocktail recipes are really interesting and for the lazy bartender in me, I really appreciated the ingredient lists that include “hiking” need to keep it simple. You can only fit so much into a backpack and you only have so much time to create your cocktails, and this book takes you easily down that path.
The book has all sorts of sections on bartender hacks (that I definitely need) and it even has a section on foraging for ingredients. With the limited ingredients I was able to forage from my ‘fridge, we tried out the Camping Sangria, and it was not only really tasty, but really portable as well. This will likely find it’s way into our next camping adventure. I’m also excited to try the Salted Nutella Hot Chocolate, so I’ll be picking up some additional ingredients later this week.
Overall I think Camp Cocktails, by Author Emily Vikre is a really nice companion piece whether you’re camping out at the Grand Canyon or setting up camp on your couch. The recipes look delicious and most are simple enough that even I can make them. be sure to check out Camp Cocktails, and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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