It’s incredible for me to fathom that my first book, New York Cocktails, turned seven years old this week! 

It’s a big deal to have your first book published. No matter what happens with it, it’s a life changing experience knowing complete strangers are holding your words in their hands. I am forever grateful to Carlo Devito for connecting me with Cider Mill Press (now part of Harper Collins) for the opportunity. 

The book, which has 100 recipes from what were at the time the most famous places to drink cocktails in the Big Apple, had to come together quickly. They came up with a fanceh design to match the snazzy drinking dens, and for reasons that have never been made clear to me, only commissioned it in January of 2017. In order for a book of such intricate construction to be released in time for the holidays, I had only six weeks to write it and get it through to the production team.