'Shake. Stir. Sip.' author Kara Newman talks equal parts cocktails, Paper Planes in the summertime and more
"There was a "why didn't anyone tell me these drinks existed?" moment," says Kara Newman about her motivation to write an equal parts cocktail book.
Recently, I took a spin through a local book store here in Los Angeles. Usually, I would identify where either the sports, music or economics books were located. However, my interest in becoming a better spirit enthusiast took me down the food and beverage aisle, hoping to find something spirit-oriented that would pique my interest.
I came across Kara Newman’s cocktail book, “Shake. Stir. Sip.” almost by accident. You see, it’s a tiny black book that can fit in one hand by grasping it by the front cover. It was covered by larger cocktail books with thousands of recipes. Newman’s contained just over 50.
I was intrigued by the “equal parts” callout on the cover, so I cracked it and scanned the introduction. One paragraph suckered me into a purchase.
“After years of fussy, baroque cocktails, simplicity is back in style. We want easy elegance, streamlined recipes that work every time.”
You’re damn right I do, Kara. Take my money.
One of my philosophies with this newsletter is to never put a cocktail suggestion in front of you that we can’t reasonably make at home. Newman’s book gave me 50 more to add to the arsenal.
I reached out to Newman to discuss her motivations in writing the tidy cocktail manual, along with suggestions on how to sip mightily this summer and what cocktails didn’t make the cut.
Editor’s note: The responses have been slightly edited for clarity.
Sip Mightily: When did you realize you needed to write this book, "Shake. Stir. Sip."?
Kara Newman: I wrote an article on equal-parts cocktails for Wine Enthusiast magazine, where I'm a contributing editor. That was meant to be just a one-off story featuring 4-6 drinks, but I couldn't get over how many equal-parts drinks existed - both classics like the Bamboo and Negroni and new drinks like the Naked & Famous -- and how enthusiastic bartenders were about them.
Once I realized that pros liked the construct because it was easy to make, I saw that home bartenders could benefit from that ease and versatility too. There was a "why didn't anyone tell me these drinks existed?" moment. I think other people feel that sense of discovery with the equal parts genre too.
SM: It's summertime, what would your go-to "equal parts" cocktail be for the season?
Kara: Probably a Paper Plane — equal parts Aperol, bourbon, amaro, lemon juice. It's a bright, refreshing sour.
SM: Is there an "equal parts" cocktail recipe you have that didn't make the book that you regret?
Kara: There are so many, it seems like new ones come out all the time, and so many of them reflect the personality of the bartender or the bar. I just wrote about a fun big-batch party punch for the June/July issue of Wine Enthusiast.
The name of the drink is The E.P.C. (Equal Parks Cocktail…get it?) from Paul Morrison, the head bartender at LA Jackson, a rooftop bar at the Thompson Nashville hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
White rum
Aperol
Strawberry syrup
Lime juice
Pineapple juice
To make: Serve in a pitcher with lots of ice. (Would suggest starting with 10-12 ounces per ingredient, depending on the size of the pitcher)
SM: Will there be a Volume 2 of “Shake. Stir. Sip.”?
Kara: I've been thinking about it. It's not a current project, but I've been stockpiling those equal parts cocktails, and there's certainly enough for a second volume. Bartenders are so creative, I've been amazed by new drinks made with five, six, or seven ingredients in equal parts!
One additional cocktail I wanted to recommend from her book is The Divine Lorraine. The drink is named after the iconic apartment building in Philadelphia which was one of the first high-rise apartments in the city. Unlike the construction of the edifice in 1889, this cocktail is easy to make. I like its versatility as a sweet sipper with a punch due to the combo of bourbon and St-Germain. For those looking for a boost, consider upping the bourbon and/or lowering the elderflower liqueur.
Recipe: The Divine Lorraine
Serve: Chilled coupe glass
Garnish: Orange twist before serving
Ingredients:
0.75 oz — Bourbon whiskey
0.75 oz — St-Germain elderflower liqueur
0.75 oz — Amaro Nonino
0.75 oz — Sweet Vermouth
3-4 drops — Orange bitters
Make: Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, stir and strain into a chilled coupe glass.