Cocktail Hour: Lillet and Soda

Alcohol and literature are inseparable—just ask Dylan Thomas (Ha. Too soon?).

Tortured poets aside, there’s nothing more enjoyable than sitting down with a book while enjoying an adult beverage. Simplicity is the key when it comes to drinking while reading. You don’t to spend too much time prepping your drink, but you also don’t always want something as simple as a beer.

Simplicity is the key when it comes to drinking while reading. You don’t to spend too much time prepping your drink, but you also don’t always want something as simple as a beer.

Lillet Up Front

Photo: Rob Ireton/flickr.

Lillet and Soda

Lillet, a Bordeaux aperitif wine, is one of the bartender’s secret weapons. Technically classified as a “tonic wine” due to the fact that it contains a bit of Quinine (the stuff that makes tonic water taste like tonic water), this pale yellow wine is a bit thicker than most, more sweet, but also a touch bitter. It has a complexity of flavor that many bartenders seek to add to their cocktail creations.

Recipe

Lillet and sodaPhoto: psrobon/flickr.

This spritzer is refreshing, without being overly boozy, and won’t take much more time than simply pouring a glass of wine.

Zest an orange, pinch the sides together (rind side towards the drink), and rub the expressed oils around the rim of the glass. Pour Lillet into  a wine glass over a few ice cubes, and top with soda water.

Literary Pairing

Pride  Bovary

Enjoy with a classic, like Pride and Prejudice or Madame Bovary.

Featured Photo: Adrian Scotto/Flickr.

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