Spirits of ’76: Celebrating 250 Years with Cocktails from Every State

In this festive collection commemorating the United States semiquincentennial, Laidlaw (Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook) serves up 102 appealing cocktail recipes, with two drinks, one classic and one contemporary, celebrating each state, plus Washington, D.C. Classics include expected fare—a mint julep for Kentucky, sazerac for Louisiana, and a Manhattan for New York—alongside more niche local favorites like the Alaskan “Duck Fart,” a tiered shot layering Baileys, Kahlúa, and whiskey, said to originate from an Anchorage bar. A lavish Bloody Mary garnished with lobster meat evokes Maine, while a key lime blended Daiquiri toasts to Florida. Things get creative in the modern recipes: muddled corn adds sweetness to a whiskey sour ode to Iowa, complete with a charred husk as garnish, while a seaweed salt rim complements Rhode Island’s “Briny Breeze.” Throughout, Laidlaw provides fascinating historical tidbits (like how the Moscow Mule came to be associated with Connecticut) and highlights local ingredients—including West Virginian pawpaw fruit and Montanan saskatoon berries—while still providing accessible substitutions. With attractive photography and a diverse array of recipes that range from simple to showstopping, this is sure to inspire home bartenders to raise a glass to the country’s history. (Mar.)