If you had a grandmother who introduced you to the best caipirinhas in town, a grandfather who owned nightclubs, and a mother whose childhood was spent sipping Shirley Temples on a barstool, then you too might have joined the spirit world.
During my many years as a travel journalist, I found myself returning again and again to the stories behind every bar, every bartender, and every bottle. I would scurry off for a sip whenever I landed in a new destination and found the fun began when the lights dimmed and the Americanos arrived.
At that time, almost 10 years ago, very few writers were telling the stories behind cocktails, spirits, or the people who made them. In my opinion, the components of a cocktail capture the essence of a place as much as its food, architecture, or art.
For example, the ubiquitous Spritz not only encapsulates the history of 18th century Venice, the introduction of the Amaro category of spirits, and the trend for aperitivi that has grown from the 1950’s until its explosion right now! And that’s just one cocktail in one city!
I launched Lush Life podcast in 2016 and my blog A Lush Life Manual a year later. I have just celebrated my 250th episode - one of which was up for a Guild of Food Writers Award just this year!
In drinks journalism, I get to combine my love for storytelling with my passion for the art of cocktail making and every bit of its process. I can’t ever see myself doing anything else!
