by Toni Tipton-Martin is a fantastic history of Black contributions to the world of cocktails. From the palm wine-making techniques that the formerly enslaved Olaudah Equiano wrote about in his 1789 narrative to the linguistic roots of the phrase “juke joint”, Tipton-Martin gives important historical context to the recipes she has researched and perfected from hundreds of years of African American culinary tradition. She offers definitive recipes of classics, like the whiskey sour, piña colada, and the Sazerac; holiday favorites like egg nog and coquito also get a special mention. Tipton-Martin also highlights some lesser-known traditional drinks that deserve another try, like claret cup, a wine-forward drink whose recipe dates back to 1914, or new recipes she’s created, like the ginger sunrise, which riffs off a ginger and hot chili-spiked simple syrup from chef Carla Hall and mixes it with fruit juice and rum. (Cookbook)