the Martini

******

"positively paradigmatic…The writing is crisply clever but, at the same time so warmly engaging and witty…the photography is rapturously beautiful. I absolutely love this book."

Nigella Lawson

"When it's Martini Hour, you need a guide and there is no one better than Alice Lascelles" 

Jay Rayner

"utterly, magically transporting. You'll feel at least 20% more glamorous after reading it"

Niki Segnit

"beautifully photographed and beautifully written, it's a joy"

Diana Henry

BBC Food Programme Drinks Book of the Year 2024

Financial Times Best Books 2024

Wall Street Journal Best Cocktail Books 2024

The Telegraph Best Books for Wine Lovers 2024

Saveur Best Books 2024

Hot Dinners Best Food & Drinks Books 2024

An André Simon Drinks Book of 2024

Gentleman's Journal Tastemakers 2025

In The Martini, award-winning drinks writer and Financial Times columnist Alice Lascelles goes on a deep-dive into one her favourite drinks – one that’s bewitched bartenders, artists, authors, filmmakers and barflies for more than a century. 

Over the course of 60 recipes, Alice charts the Martini’s journey from the smoky saloons of 1880s New York to the hottest cocktail joints of the 21st century. Discover old-time Martini twists like the Flame of Love and the Tuxedo in the section on Vintage drinks or turn to Honorary for fun and fruity updates on Lychee and Espresso Martinis. The Classic section, which covers the likes of the Dry Martini, the Vesper and the Gibson, will delight Martini purists, while the Contemporary chapter showcases new-wave Martini recipes from some of the world’s top mixologists. 

 Discover the best Martini to pair with oysters; explore variations infused with olive oil, shiso and jasmine tea; find out why your most important tool is your freezer; and the real reason James Bond likes a shaken, not stirred, Martini. 

"I could say a Martini requires nothing more…yet Alice improves it with wit and rigour"

Tim Hayward 

"Crisp, elegant and dangerously seductive"

Niki Segnit

"There is no-one I trust more when it comes to mixing a Martini...a slim and perfect volume"

Victoria Moore

"The recipes are fabulous, the photography is absolutely beautiful. If you love a Martini, get this book"

Helen McGinn, Knackered Mothers Wine Club

The Martini: The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon (Quadrille 2024) is in stores now RRP £18.99