“t he orange
wine will want
our care soon. But
in the meantime,
for elegance and
ease and luxury,
the Hattons and
Milles dine here
today, and I shall
eat and drink
French wine and
be above vulgar
economy.” Jane Austen’s 1808 letter to her
sister Cassandra sets the scene for Colleen
Mullaney’s collection of “fifty cocktails
celebrating the novels of Jane Austen”: an
unbeatable recipe for a good time.
An introductory section lists the
many and various types of Georgian
drink – from flips, juleps and punches
to shrubs and toddies – as well as the
“barware” needed to create them, essential
ingredients and mixing techniques. Then
it’s on to the main event – six collections of
cocktail recipes each themed around a Jane
Austen novel.
babies need books – and the sooner
they begin to “read”, the better. These
two delightful board books, published
in association with Hampshire Cultural
Trust and Jane Austen’s House Museum in
Chawton, are beautifully illustrated by
Ailie Busby, and parents and grandparents
will enjoy reading them as much as their
little ones.
The ABC of Musical Instruments
covers everything from Accordion to
Zither, with quite a few less familiar
examples in between: Ipu, Jinghu, Yunluo.
The design, by Verity Clark, is based on
the charming oak leaf pattern of a pelisse,
thought to have belonged to Jane Austen
and now held in the collection of the
Hampshire Cultural Trust.
Jane Austen’s enjoyment of gardening,
and the flowers and plants that flourish
in the grounds of her home in Chawton,
provide the inspiration for the design and
illustration of 123 Tea Party. This one-to-ten
counting book follows a cheerful little fox
cub as he prepares a spread for his woodland
friends – delicious in every way.
The ABC of Musical Instruments
Illustrated by Ailie Busby
Published by Catchastar Books
£6.99 board book
ISBN 978-1-912076-45-1123 Tea Party
Illustrated by Ailie Busby
Published by Catchastar Books
£6.99 board book
ISBN 978-1-912076-44-1Mullaney knows her Austen as well as
her mixology – each cocktail is introduced
with a neat anecdote or comment relating to
characters and incidents in the novels.
In the Sense & Sensibility section, for
instance, the mixing instructions for an
‘Elinorange Blossom’ run thus: “In a shaker
filled with ice, pour the gin, vermouth, and
orange juice, shake well and strain into a
coupe. Top with sparkling wine, garnish, if
you like, with an orange slice, and remember
that true love triumphs in the end.” Or, from
the Emma section: “...garnish with two
olives and a cocktail onion pierced, like Mr
Martin’s heart, with a cocktail spear.”
Chin chin!Gin Austen
By Colleen Mullaney
Published by Sterling Epicure
£14.99 hardback
ISBN 978-1-4549-3312-0Tales of gin cocktails curated to
suit each of Austen’s novels