What is a novelist, poet, or writer without the love of a glass or two to help the imaginative process along? The link between literature and liquor is one that’s been around forever and a day. Dionysus has always been ready to lend a helping hand to get the creative juices flowing!

The next time you’re settling in for some downtime to read a good book or relax with one of the scintillating slots NZ and the rest of the world now offers online, get yourself into the mood with one of these delightful drinks. 

Faulkner and His Mint Julep

Nobel Prize laureate and author of The Sound and the Fury William Faulkner had a passion for the mint julep. You’ll need 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar, 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey, 2 teaspoons of water, and 4 mint leaves to make your own. Muddle the mint, sugar, and water gently in a highball glass, fill it with cracked ice, and then pour your bourbon over it. Stir well, until the glass is frosted, garnish with a sprig of mint and settle in.

A Whiskey Sour for the Wit

Best known for her now-very valuable and memorable wisecracks, Dorothy Parker, the beloved critic, poet, writer and satirist, had a soft spot for a whiskey sour. She’s famous for having said she wished she could drink like a lady, but she could take one or two at the most. Three and she’d be under the table; four and she’d be under the host!

Mix 2 parts fresh lemon juice with 3 parts bourbon whiskey and 1 part sugar and water. Garnish with a lemon rind, maraschino cherry, or slice of orange and serve in a sugared glass.

Edgar Allan Poe’s Brandy Eggnog

Edgar Allan Poe is famous for his macabre work in poems like The Raven and the sad, strange events surrounding his death. What’s less well known is that he loved eggnog, and there’s a recipe available for exactly how his family used to make it.

You’ll need 7 eggs, divided, a cup of sugar, and 5 cups of whole milk. You’ll also need ½ cup of heavy cream, 1 and ½ cups of good brandy, and ¼ of a cup of dark, sweet rum.

Combine the egg yolks and sugar, and whisk the mixture until it’s thick and pale. Set it aside.

Fill a large bowl with iced water and set that aside too.

In a small saucepan, warm 3 cups of the milk over low heat, and whisk 1 cup of this into your yolk mixture. Add the new mix back into the saucepan, and keep stirring until it’s properly combined and starting to thicken. Then remove it from the stovetop and rapidly stir in the cream. Place your saucepan into the ice bath and stir the mixture occasionally until it’s chilled. Then add the brandy, remaining milk, and rum.

Pour your eggnog into glasses, and beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Spoon this over the eggnog and top with grated nutmeg. Has there ever been a more delicious sounding drink? Nevermore!

Anna Jones
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