"Cocktails in Color" with Sammi Katz and Olivia McGiff
"She comes in colours everywhere."
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Cocktails in Color
“Bursting with wit, whimsy, and a vibrant landscape of spirited drinks illustrated by Olivia McGiff, Cocktails in Color is a delight. Writer and bartender Sammi Katz is the best friend you wish you had, inspiring confidence and sharing the best stories whether she's breaking down classic cocktail templates, helping you build out your home bar cart, or shaking and stirring up a mix of new-look original drinks.”
—Brad Thomas Parsons, author of Bitters, Amaro, and Last Call
I first became aware of Sammi Katz and Olivia McGiff after reading their breakout December 2020 illustrated New York Times story, “Reclaiming the Tiki Bar” and Sammi’s newsletter, “A Girl’s Guide to Drinking Alone.” I was honored when they asked me to provide an endorsement (aka “blurb”) for their debut book, Cocktails in Color: A Spirited Guide to the Art and Joy of Drinkmaking, but I’m even more excited that the book comes out tomorrow, and now you can all pick up your own copy of this inventive and stylish cocktail guide.
Sammi, a writer and bartender, and Olivia, an artist and book cover designer, have been collaborating creatively since their college days and Cocktails in Color, fully illustrated throughout, will appeal to those in the know and cocktail newbies alike. It’s a whimsical celebration of spirits, raw ingredients, and classic and contemporary cocktails that will inspire you to take your at-home cocktail game to a new level.
"What's not to like about a cocktail book team consisting of a bartender/drinkmaker (Sammi) and barfly/illustrator (Olivia), whose pets' names are Juniper and Sherry? Break open this attractive, approachable book and you'll like them even more."
—Robert Simonson, New York Times cocktail writer and creator of the Substack newsletter "The Mix."
I had the chance to recently catch up with Sammi and Olivia and on the eve of publication day wanted to share our conversation as we talked about the origin story of the new book, sketching at bars, creating original cocktails, cats and dogs, the publishing industry, and more. And the dynamic duo will be back this Friday to sit in on Dive Bar Jukebox.
If you’re in the New York area, you can catch them tonight at the Porchlight Book Club for an evening of books, live music, and cocktails. Have a drink or two, meet Sammi and Olivia, and have your copy of Cocktails in Color signed by the authors. You can also catch them this week in Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 7 at Sweet Polly and Wednesday, February 8 at The Shanty.