Full disclosure: Unlike Hemingway, I’m not much of a coctail drinker. Sure, I”ll have the occasional margarita but for the most part, I stick to wine, tea, and coffee. Still, who isn’t fascinated by all things Hemingway?
I started reading Philip Greene’s To Have and Have Another because I was interested in how Hemingway used specific cocktails in his writing.
Philip has organized this literary exploration of Hemingway cocktail culture by drink type. Starting with a recipe, he discuses the properties and history of specific drinks and their ingredients. As a neophyte in this area, I found all this fascinating. Perhaps it would be old news to a cocktail gourmet, but I loved the stories behind the brands. The tales of creation and the history of where booze came from is far more engaging than I expected.
Once the reader is interested in the drink itself, Philip Greene turns our attention to the Hemingway tie in. He even goes so far as to suggest readings to go along with specific drinks. (How about a Rum Collins with that serving of Islands in the Stream?) And they are more than just an idle suggestion. The passages of Hemingway classics to savor with your classic cocktail are very thoughtfully paired. I wouldn’t go so far as to say this book drove me to drink, but it sure got me browsing the liquor store with the same interest I use to browse the library.
Hemingway had extensive cocktail experience and used it in his writing. What a character drinks and how he fixes it gives the reader insight into the character. If Hemingway had contempt for a type of drink, he put it in the hands of a character he wanted to reader to feel contempt for. If he enjoyed a particular drink on Pilar, he put it to the lips of a boating protagonist. If he thought a cocktail sophisticated or complicated, he served it to a character when he was worthy of it. Before To Have and Have Another, I never really considered character development revealed through drink.
Another way of looking at To Have and Have another is from the perspective of the writer. I asked Wanderlust and Lipstick’s own Wanderlush, Lanee Lea for her expert opinion on the best Cocktail Prescriptions for Writers. Give that link a click and she’ll have you sipping all through the creative process.
Did I enjoy this book? Absolutely! I enjoyed it far more than I expected. In addition to the literary connections, each drink recipe was a small piece of a Hemingway biography. I knew he was not a fan of what my girlfriends call “frou frou” drinks. I guess I always thought it was because they were not considered manly or likely to contain the strongest alcoholic content. I was surprised to learn that with his diagnosis of diabetes, Hemingway gave up sugar. This is the main reason for omitting sugars, syrups and even the sweeter fruit juices from his drink recipes. Not that a sugar-free cocktail exactly in compliance with a diabetic diet but it was his nod to good health.
In fact, I’ve jotted down a few of the cocktails that most intrigued me. I just might become a bartenders worst nightmare as I ask for all my cocktails à la Hemingway to go better with my reading.
book cover art from Penguin Group
Remember: Don’t drink and drive. You are not a Hemingway character.