swifties shaken not stirred
Fans of Taylor Swift know that she is not a stranger to a good cocktail. She likes to go out and have a good time with her friends as much as she likes a quiet night at home, cooking for herself and her boyfriend. In that spirit, Shake It Up is a collection of cocktail recipes using the music of Swift as inspiration to provide over 60 recipes for crying over breakups, laughing with your girl squad, and dancing out all your troubles.
Each of these cocktail recipes are paired with a song, and they match up not just with a punny title but in tone to the song being referenced. Using music from her self-titled debut album through Midnights, these cocktails celebrate the creativity of the songwriter and the way her songs are so personal that we all feel them right along with her.
The cocktails are just as diverse and tasty as the music, and they often feature twists on classic cocktails. From the Fiftini to the French 89, the Welcome to Manhattan to the Negroni the Young, there are simple changes to take these from a typical Martini, French 75, Manhattan, or Negroni to an elevated, sophisticated, feminine version that will make you want to sing. And if you can’t guess the song titles from the drink titles, each recipe tells the song that was used for inspiration as well as what makes the drink special.
Sometimes the song is highlighted by the flavors, like the Dear John Collins, that features the sour taste of lemon with gin and Angostura bitters. Sometimes it’s the colors, like the Curacao that adds some blue to the Midnight Champagne. Sometimes it’s the celebratory bubbles, like in Miss American Fizz and the and the Heartbreak Prince. But each drink celebrates the songs that have become an American soundtrack for so many Swifties through the years.
I am a cookbook nerd, so I love to read a cookbook start to finish. I’m going to say that this is not how to read Shake It Up. It starts with an introduction that focuses on Swift, her history and how she inspired these cocktails. That part is lovely. Then it moves into the basics you need to whip up a good cocktail and how to set up your own minibar. But the list of equipment, alcohol, and mixers that is included is long and intimidating. And you don’t need all that to get started.
A lot of these cocktails use only a handful of ingredients. If you are a beginner, I would suggest skipping over the front matter and picking out one cocktail to try, or maybe a few, and start investing in only the equipment and alcohols you need at first. You don’t need 8 different glass styles if you’re just wanting to put together a few drinks for a girls’ night. Once you get to the section on setting up your own minibar, there are some good ideas for setting up a small area of your kitchen for what you need, but the pages listing the essentials are unclear and overwhelming.
Having said that, I think anyone looking to invite their squad over for homemade cocktails while listening to their favorite Taylor Swift playlists will find a lot of ideas here to inspire them. There is a variety of drinks, with different types of alcohol, with fruits and mixers, for any mood or celebration. There is even one that’s perfect for winding down at night, Look What You Made Me Brew, that’s a blend of hot tea, Amaretto, and whipped cream. This is the perfect gift for Swifties, as long as they are of drinking age (there are no mocktails here). The pages are filled with color and fun illustrations, and everything about it is a celebration of Swift and her music that we just can’t stop dancing to.
Egalleys for Shake It Up were provided by Welbeck Publishing US, with many thanks.
