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We love these two new books expertly penned about booze-free cocktails, at-home mixology, and more. On September 25, we will be hosting both authors, Julia Bainbridge and John deBary, for a book signing at our Cobble Hill location. These two are living legends in the nonalcoholic space. If you’re interested in reserving a book for the book signing, click here. Otherwise, read on to learn more about Julia and John, and their most recent works.
Who Is Julia Bainbridge?
Julia has culinary chops from her time as an editor for publications such as Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, and Yahoo Food as well as her time as a food editor for Atlanta Magazine. She’s also a James Beard Award-nominated writer. Some other of her bylines include Food & Wine, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
Although Julia does not describe herself as an expert in mixology, her personal interest in reducing her alcohol consumption has ignited a passion in her about the subject. In fact, her work in this avenue led her to receive the 2021 Research Society on Alcoholism’s Media Award.
Julia’s work isn’t limited to her passion for nonalcoholic beverages. She hosts a podcast called the Lonely Hour which features discussions on loneliness and is a lot more uplifting than it might sound. It’s the perfect listen for late in the evening when you’re curled up with your favorite alcohol-free digestif!
About Her Book Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You're Not Drinking for Whatever Reason
Julia’s book was released last fall and quickly gained popularity, being named one of the best cookbooks of 2020 by multiple publications including Bon Appétit, WIRED, and Esquire. If you’ve been looking for a book to get you excited about making nonalcoholic beverages, you should definitely crack this one open.
Her success with the book morphed into the publication of the Good Drinks newsletter which you can receive via email. Since she is a firm believer that her taste buds should lead the way when deciding what to drink, you know you can trust what's in her book to pleasantly surprise you. Gone are the days of having to settle for mediocre mocktails when you have people like Julia curating delicious booze-free cocktails!
The recipes aren’t just created by Bainbridge, either. She sought input from some of the best bartenders and mixologists around the country to come up with the ultimate cocktails for every occasion! Good Drinks is so much more than just alcohol-free drink recipes. It contains helpful tips and tricks for sourcing the best ingredients.
Julia has also declared Livener from Three Spirit to be one of her favorite nonalcoholic beverages. At Boisson, we love it too!
Who Is John deBary?
John deBary is an expert bartender with over a decade of experience. He started his career back in 2008 at PDT, a cocktail bar known for being a James Beard Award recipient. After that, he went on to work as the bar director for Momofuku for nearly a decade. After training numerous bartenders to perfect their craft and leading the charge to open multiple locations, there’s no one better than John at making the perfect mixed drink, including a booze-free cocktail!
John’s work isn’t limited to whipping up delightful cocktails. He is one of the founders of the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation which advocates for improving the quality of life for hospitality workers.
About His Book Drink What You Want: The Subjective Guide to Objectively Delicious Cocktails
Given John’s extensive experience and exceptional reputation for shaking up unbelievably good cocktails, you can only imagine the secrets he spills in his cocktail recipe book Drink What You Want, which was released last summer. You may have already been privy to some of his work in Food52 and liquor.com among others.
John has taken a topic that can often be confusing and made it accessible to cocktail newbies. It’s an easy-to-read, conversational book that can take anyone from novice to master mixologist in no time. You can learn about the science behind mixology, all the cocktail lingo, the secrets to refining a drink to your taste, and tips for cultivating cocktail creativity. Of course, John also shares some of his favorite drink recipes that you can recreate with ease. Even if you’re already an experienced at-home mixologist, you’ll still find so much to love in this book.
About Proteau
John has taken all his knowledge and developed a nonalcoholic beverage line of his own called Proteau. This botanical line of alcohol-free spirits was crafted to drink right out of the bottle—no mixing needed!—although you certainly can indulge in a little mixing if you’d like. Every variety is low in sugar, low in calories, and free of preservatives. No matter how you choose to serve it, you’ll find it far superior to an ordinary "mocktail".
If you come to the event at our Cobble Hill location, not only can you meet the man behind the bottle, but you can also pick up a bottle for yourself. We offer Rivington Spritz which is a sparkling drink that is bitter, fruity, and floral thanks to ingredients such as chamomile, hibiscus, strawberries, and rhubarb. You will even detect a hint of vinegar for a little zing!
If you want a nonalcoholic alternative to red wine, you may also want to pick up a bottle of Ludlow Red from Proteau. You’ll pick up on blackberry, dandelion, chrysanthemum, and even a kick of black pepper. Whether you want something to drink with your meal or as a digestif as you wind down for the night, it’s a great option.
Join Us on September 25!
Julia and John bring their own unique perspectives and taste buds to the nonalcoholic space, making both of their books must-reads. Bring your copy or buy one at our Cobble Hill location to get them signed on the spot by these extraordinary mixologists! Whether you’re sober or sober curious, this event is going to be a fun time that you won’t want to miss. We can’t wait to see you there!
Photo of Julia Bainbridge shot by Sam Ortiz, @samortizphotos
Good Drinks cover photo shot by Alex Lau, @yungbludlau
