Spritz by Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau is a lovely book even if you just want something for your coffee table. Or, maybe more appropriately, your bar cart. The book is about the history of the spritz, an Italian drink, and how it ties in with Italian culture. Spritz also includes several recipes for variations on the cocktail. But the real selling point for me is the imagery. The cover has a cool retro vibe that carries through on the title page for each section. The book also features vibrant photography, including pictures of some of the drink and snack recipes.The format of this book starts with a narrative of how the spritz originated and evolved. The conversational style of writing carries through to the recipe sections, where many of the drinks are paired with entertaining descriptions of their origins. I think this book has value as a read-through and as a reference book. It does provide recipes, but it also gives you the bones of a spritz so you can come up with your own variations on the drink while making sure they're in keeping with the spirit (pun intended) of the cocktail. I don't even have much of an interest in the drink, but I found this book entertaining and informative. It's currently on display in my kitchen, so it's great for decorating, too. Whether you enjoy a cocktail or a peek into another culture, this book is a great one to pick up.
5 out of 5 stars
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
