The Gin Drinker's Year

Book excerpt: The Gin Drinker's Year is a celebration of all things gin and is packed with cocktails, food and gin-fusion recipes. With everything from 150 gin cocktails and gin-infusions, plus 30 delectable gin-spiked food recipes such as Penne alla Gin or Minty G&T Lollies, to heartfelt tributes to Snoop Dogg's 'Gin and Juice', the sozzled wit and wisdom of renowned gin soak Dorothy Parker and the rules of Gin Pong and Ten-Gin Bowling, there's an entry for every day of the year. You'll also discover fascinating snippets of gin-eral knowledge such as the history of vermouth, the Christmas gift that the beefeaters of the Tower of London are given every year, and why you most definitely should be celebrating National Gingerbread Day. So let the festivities be-gin. This is every gin lover's handbook to the best year ever. Highlights include: January - New Year's resolutions, Burns Night, Al Capone and a celeriac gin-fusion. February - Spin the Bottle, National Toast Day, Pancake Day and the Leap Day Cocktail. March - Gin Snap, White Day, St Patrick's Day, Earl Grey and some rather questionable poetry. April - Shakespeare's birthday, National Raisin Day and a Great Gatsby inspired Gin Rickey. May - Dick Bradsell's birthday, a Delft Donkey, a little opera and International Tea Day. June - Strawberry Fields, World Gin Day, Father's Day, a load of cobblers and floral foraging. July - Independence Day, genever, National Pi a Colada Day and garden games. August - Lychees, Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, World Oyster Day and Dubonnet. September - Hedgerows, Florida, International Talk Like a Pirate Day and directions to Park Lane October -International Gin & Tonic Day, the Beer Flood, spooky concoctions and Sake. November -Albert Camus, National Espresso Day and the anniversary of Casablanca. December - Humphrey Bogart's birthday, Roald Amundsen, Gin Pong and fizzy bubbles.