I love old pulp novels (the pocket book size especially), with their snazzy (and sometimes silly-ly sexy) covers, mysteries, and generally jazzed up writing. Not to mention that the characters within tend to drink lots and the reading tends to be roll quickly and be perfect when accompanied by a drink–if it’s a drink that’s in the book, even better.

Maybe it’s not a celebrated piece of detective fiction (though the story’s not that bad), but if you can find the book No Business for a Lady, it’s perfect for when you want to match the cocktail you’re having with the cocktail the main character (a feisty redhead with an hourglass figure, of course) is having, because the range of drinks she has is wider than most. As evidence: the three quotes below. So, go pour yourself something and open a book, for gawd’s sake.

 

Although the doors were wide-open and the temperature was in the nineties outside, it was air conditioned and cool in the dimly lighted interior. I picked out a booth and sat down, and when the waiter came I ordered a Gin Rickey.

And just to prove to him that I knew how to take care of the whips and jingles, I built a couple of Ramos Fizzes.

My stomach was still queasy so I went to the bar downstairs and mixed myself a Gin Fizz.

Tags: Cocktail Talk, Gin Fizz, Gin Rickey, No Business for a Lady, Ramos Fizz

This entry was posted on Friday, February 27th, 2009 at 3:25 pm and is filed under Cocktail Talk, Gin. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.