Boozy Book Review: Bourbon Is My Comfort Food

Bourbon Women Board Chair Heather Wibbels, better known as the Cocktail Contessa, has just published a book called Bourbon Is My Comfort Food, which is full of whiskey cocktail recipes and beautiful photography. We recently caught up with Wibbels to learn more about how she came up with the idea for the book.

Background

“For the 10 year anniversary of Bourbon Women, Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler were looking for a great way to celebrate 10 years and our national branch had the idea of putting a book together,” recalls Wibbels. “We wanted a topic that the leadership team and the branches would be able to contribute to. I had already been creating cocktail content for my website, cocktailcontessa.com, as well as for Bourbon Women, so it was a natural fit. With their guidance as well as contributions from Bourbon Women across the country, the book became a reality. We wanted a topic that would appeal to Bourbon drinkers and Bourbon curious folks across the spectrum, not just women, and Bourbon cocktails was a perfect topic – it’s approachable to those new to Bourbon, and whiskey enthusiasts are always looking for new ways to convert friends and family to Bourbon. Cocktails are perfect for that.”

In fact, this author had the opportunity to contribute a cocktail recipe to the book, as well, which can be found on page 80 in the section on the Manhattan cocktail, nestled between gorgeous photographs of whiskey cocktails.

Cocktail Photography

“No one is going to make a cocktail they read about unless the story and description of it are insanely compelling or there is a fantastic picture,” says Wibbels. “I was inspired by all the beautiful cocktails on social media to learn to shoot cocktails better. When I decided to do it I didn’t realize it was one of the hardest types of photography to master because everything you’re working with from the bottle to the glass to the spirit are all reflective! But learning photography has been one of the most rewarding parts of my cocktail journey so far. It’s a huge compliment to me when someone says that a picture I created, makes them thirsty. That’s the reaction any beverage photographer wants for an image. Putting together a compelling image can be a combination of just the right glassware, garnish, setting, and liquid. Sometimes I want to put the cocktail on a pedestal and celebrate just that. Other times I want to show the drink in a great setting to make it pop. It depends on the recipe and the drink and what I want to portray.”

The stunning cocktail photos in the book could never betray the hard work it took to get there, and as most artists will tell you, Wibbels still doesn’t feel she’s mastered the art of cocktail photography.

“It’s something that I’ll never feel like I’ve mastered,” she says. “It’s a challenge and a fun project every time I shoot. Even now I can see how much my style has grown from when I put the images together for the book over a year ago. The most interesting thing is that even with more specialized equipment, you can still take great pictures if you learn how to see things – lines, patterns, light, and color interaction. Learning to see the lines and shapes of cocktails is just another way to communicate with a reader.”

A Book for Bourbon Lovers

Regardless of the old adage not to judge a book by its cover, the title can give readers an insight into what might be on the pages. So what does comfort food have to do with cocktails, anyway?

“When I was trying to come up with a title I kept coming back to that,” Wibbels recalls. “When I was looking through photos of past SIPosiums, I found one of me and my mom during an event where we were grinning ear to ear and holding up a sign that said: “Bourbon Is My Comfort Food.” Right there I knew it was a perfect title. It represents what whiskey is to Bourbon lovers – a taste and smell that feels like coming home, something that centers us. I’ve always said that Bourbon makes me happy, especially when I’m sipping it. It’s something that relaxes me and brings me joy, whether I’m sipping it neat, mixing it in a cocktail, or walking through a rickhouse soaking in the aromas. For me, Bourbon is like comfort food. It’s something I return to over and over, it’s a smell and taste that envelops me like a warm hug and makes me feel safe. For a lot of Bourbon drinkers, I think this is the case – when your day goes to hell or you’ve got a lot going on, Bourbon can just be that little hug or trigger that calms and relaxes you.”

Cocktail Recipes

Beautiful photos and creative title aside, what about the recipes? Where did they come from, and are they actually any good?

“Many of the recipes are ones I’ve developed over the years previous to putting the book together,” Wibbels says. “During the pandemic shut down I didn’t have much else keeping me busy, so I was creating several a week. But even though I had that base of cocktail recipes, we really wanted to celebrate Bourbon Women in a way that focused on the contributions of the leadership team and the now 14 branches we have across the country. When we asked the branch ambassadors and leadership team for some cocktails to add they stepped up and brought some great flavors and ideas to the book. We were also thrilled to include the winners from the annual Bourbon Women Not Your Pink Drink contest held each year. That competition celebrates the love Bourbon Women have for all things cocktail – as long as the drink isn’t pink! We wanted to step away from the idea of drinks for women having to be sugary, sweet and pink.”

As a former Not Your Pink Drink judge I can confirm that the drink recipes that make it to the finals are not pink, you can taste the whiskey, and the winners are incredibly complex and well-balanced. Aside from that, does The Cocktail Contessa have a favorite cocktail or recipe?

“That’s like trying to pick a favorite child or favorite Bourbon,” she laughs. “I especially love Old Fashioned or Manhattan riffs, I do have two favorites I’ll mention; first, the Banana Bread Old Fashioned — with banana syrup and a touch of black walnut bitters. When made with Old Forester the banana notes just explode into the forefront. I also love almost any well-made Manhattan, but my favorite is a Black Manhattan variety like the Dark Quarter, with hints of a Sazerac underneath the Manhattan template.”

Whether you are a cocktail professional, a cocktail nerd, or cocktail curious, there is something in this book for you. It will show you that making great cocktails at home isn’t all that difficult and can actually be a lot of fun.

Beyond Cocktails

“This book is more than a cocktail list, it’s educating a cocktail or Bourbon enthusiast on the elements of classic Bourbon and whiskey cocktails and talking to them about how to develop their palate through experimentation,” Wibbels says. “It’s perfect for non-whiskey drinkers because it’s a great way to see the breadth of flavors and possibilities with Bourbon cocktails. And it’s also a good introduction to Bourbon for those who aren’t ready to sip it neat yet. It’s also a great fit for Bourbon lovers who want to talk their friends and family into joining them in Bourbon. Bourbon has so much to offer and add to cocktails, and cocktails are the perfect way to introduce someone to Bourbon. Cocktails at the gateway to Bourbon. This book helps people get into Bourbon themselves, or talk friends and family into it.”

Bourbon can be a great community that bonds people together over a shared love of creativity, history and having fun. Oftentimes Bourbon lovers will balk at the idea of putting “good Bourbon” into cocktails, but because Bourbon is about the community it’s important to place people above all.

“As a community, Bourbon lovers have to learn to accept people who love Bourbon in cocktails as real Bourbon drinkers,” says Wibbels. “You wouldn’t think someone who called themselves a gin drinker only drank gin neat or in flights. You’d assume they were Martini or Gin and Tonic drinkers. Why do we think only people who drink whiskey neat can call themselves a whiskey or bourbon drinker? Bourbon is about hospitality and welcoming people into the conversation. My goal is to get people to drink more Bourbon, however, they want. And if cocktails are the start of it (or where they prefer to stay) they’re still buying and appreciating America’s native spirit.”

After all, it’s about developing an appreciation for the craft that goes into creating something to be enjoyed.

“Bourbon geeks are uniquely poised to be able to evaluate and adjust cocktails to their palate,” she continues. “They understand the balance of aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and finish. They parse out the entire experience of drinking Bourbon. All they need to do is bring that same awareness to cocktails. I always hear Bourbon geeks say they can’t taste the whiskey in a drink, and that’s why they don’t like cocktails. But then they can parse down the exact kind of orange flavor they get in a whiskey – not candied orange rind, not navel orange, but mandarin! If they can pick that out of a Bourbon they can find the Bourbon in a cocktail. I always challenge them to make the same cocktail but with vodka and tell me if that helps them find the Bourbon.”

Bourbon Is My Comfort Food is available now for pre-order on Amazon as well as other online booksellers and will be released on May 3, 2022.

Recipes

Kentucky Smolder

Creating a great Old-Fashioned for serious whiskey drinkers requires finesse. You need to highlight the whiskey above everything else, balance it with great bitters, and make sure it contains a hint of intrigue to keep them interested. The smoked chili bitters add both smoke and heat from the capsaicin found in chili peppers. And through it all, the Bourbon still shines. I created this high-proof Old-Fashioned for a Bourbon Women “He Sips, She Sips” event featuring a blind tasting of Heaven Hill (2020 NYISC Master Distiller of the Year) Bourbons and ryes.

2 ounces Old Forester Whiskey Row 1920, high-proof (110 or higher) Bourbon, or Pikesville rye

½ ounce demerara sugar simple syrup

3 dashes Hella Bitters smoked chili bitters

Garnish: charred cinnamon stick

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for about 20 seconds, then strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a charred cinnamon stick (be careful not to set your fingers on fire).

Sunset Sour

In this gorgeous Boston-type sour, a touch of blackberry liqueur supports the blackberry cobbler notes from the simple syrup, and the black walnut bitters add a nutty note to balance the flavors. With just a blackberry as garnish, this cocktail looks as amazing as it tastes.

1½ ounces 100-proof Bourbon

½ ounce blackberry liqueur

¾ ounce lemon juice

¾ ounce blackberry simple syrup

¾ ounce egg whites or aquafaba (optional)

2 dashes Fee Brothers black walnut bitters

Garnish: fresh or frozen blackberries and lemon slice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass or, if you used the egg whites or aquafaba, strain into another shaker and use a handheld latte whisk for 20 seconds. Pour into a chilled coupe glass and garnish.

Blackberry Simple Syrup

2 cups frozen blackberries

½ cup water

1 cup sugar

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and cook until the blackberries are thawed, soft, and very juicy. Once the blackberries have cooked down a bit, press on them to release the juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the blackberries have turned purple. Cool and strain out the pulp. Store the syrup in the fridge and save the strained blackberries to eat on ice cream.

Recipes courtesy of Heather Wibbels and Bourbon is My Comfort Food.