Hi everyone! Today is one of my favorite guests posts. I am hosting author Lindsay Taylor Dellinger and what she has put together is a combination of Creator’s Roulette and Indie Recommends Indie – today, we will read some book recommendations (a mix of indie and big publishers) and learn about the coffee you can pair each book with. Based on Lindsay’s travels, I love her choices! Let’s meet Lindsay first:
Lindsay is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and graphic artist. Formerly a fashion industry Art Director, she quit her corporate job in September 2021 to finish building her tiny home on wheels with her partner. She’s currently traveling the United States in the “WOW WAGON.” She lives in this 30-year-old Bluebird International school bus with the two most important men in her life, her love and talented artist, JazEfx, and her thirteen-year-old feline, Sir Benson Brunello the First and Only (Benson, for short).
Lindsay recently completed her first memoir, Swipe Write. It was self-published on January 25, 2022. In addition to freelance writing and designing, Lindsay maintains her five-year-old blog, The Road Linds Travels. The blog covers everything from her near and far travels, the tragic losses of her life, wine, and a whole lot of in-between. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Would you like some coffee with that book?
Guest post by Lindsay Taylor Dellinger
We’ve all heard of food and wine pairings, and chocolates and cheeses with wine are an obvious choice. But what about coffee and books? Who hasn’t meandered into a cozy coffee shop on a moody, rainy afternoon and curled up in a corner with a piping hot cup of Joe before? If you haven’t, I highly suggest doing so.
The soothing effects of a great story and some delectable, energizing coffee are super underrated. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of books I recommend and the coffee-based beverage that I would pair with each.
Read on for some beverage-enhancing books. Or maybe it’s the book that enhances the beverage? Or perhaps they enhance each other? Er, well, either way – cheers!
These Tangled Vines by Julianne MacLean | Goodreads
When I snagged this beauty from Amazon Kindle’s monthly Prime free reading, I had no idea what to expect. I also had no idea what to expect when I tried a Tuscan Sunrise for the first time.
Fiona is the main character in Julianne MacLean’s Tuscan-set drama, and as the secret ingredient in a well-made Tuscan Sunrise, Fiona knows how to keep a secret in life. She’s the only one who knows about her late mother’s thirty-year affair in Tuscany, and she intends to keep it that way. The death of her biological father, who she never met, will, of course, change all of that, along with unsettling news of an immense inheritance.
Fiona flies to Italy, where her family is astonished to discover her existence, and frantically tries to fight her for half of the estate. She navigates through delicate and relatable family dynamics and heated sibling rivalries. At the same time, the mystery of her mother’s passionate affair is progressively exposed.
These Tangled Vines is a fast-paced voyage of love, secrets, sacrifice, courage, and, most importantly, the true meaning of family. Not to mention, it’s filled with the exquisite tastes and romanticism of Tuscany.
Enjoying an espresso-based, sweet and sophisticated beverage like the Tuscan Sunrise with this book compliments MacLean’s charming and sophisticated storytelling. Doted on by coffee aficionados and non-coffee fans alike, the secret to the Tuscan Sunrise is a delightful black tea affectionately called “Peacemaker Syrup.” The combining of coffee and tea isn’t new, either. It’s been a popular mash-up in Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Broken Horses: A Memoir by Brandi Carlile | Goodreads
One mustn’t be a fan of Brandi Carlile’s music to be a fan of this memoir. While a typical story of tragedy and triumph, there’s nothing typical about how it’s told. Carlile’s inclusion of songs with each chapter enhances the narrative, even causing me to pause on several occasions just to listen to the music.
Broken Horses has the same raw honesty and self-reflection that fans have come to expect from the singer/songwriter. From meningococcal meningitis that sent her into a coma to the family dynamics and poverty that framed her early life, Carlile does what fans have come to expect from her: she explores the personal in a straightforward and universally relatable way.
Being that she’s basically a Rockstar and lives outside Seattle, the birthplace of Starbucks, this book is best accompanied by a piping hot Venti Black Pike’s Place coffee. Shot of whiskey optional. I can hear some of you groaning at the mention of the corporate conglomerate’s caffeine, but let’s face it, they’re successful for a reason. Their coffee is good, and so is Broken Horses by Brandi Carlile.
Bed Stuy: A Love Story by Jerry McGill | Goodreads
This was an excellent read for my first book of the new year. I really love a good story about overcoming odds and the resilience of humans. Bed Stuy checked those boxes and then some.
Rashid is a young Black man from Brooklyn’s Bed Stuy neighborhood who has had a difficult existence. Rachel is married, twenty years his senior, and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. She provides Rashid with an escape from a neighborhood where few people rarely leave.
What begins as flippant flirtation develops into a passionate, exhilarating, and enriching relationship that defies Rashid’s friends’ and family’s expectations. Rachel is drawn to Rashid because of his curiosity, longing, and adoration, all of which are missing from her broken marriage. However, as their relationship’s flaws become more apparent, so do the unavoidable choices one must make when falling in love.
In reading this fabulous work of fiction, I couldn’t help but crave some Stumptown Coffee Roasters. While originating in Portland, this exquisite roaster opened up cafés, and they stocked Whole Foods and Targets all over, including New York. I lived in Brooklyn for a couple of years, and Stumptown coffee was one of my go-to’s for an exceptional cup of brew. The closest you’ll come to Stumptown near Bed Stuy is probably at the Foodtown at 632 Vanderbilt Avenue.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain | Goodreads
First, it should be mentioned that this man is one of my heroes, so I’m slightly biased. Nonetheless, this is one of those books that makes you rethink everything. And not just everything about restaurants and dining out. Pro Tip: Always check the cleanliness of a restaurant’s bathroom before committing to ordering.
I especially love Bourdain’s no-bullshit approach to writing. He writes the way he talks (if you’ve ever watched Parts Unknown, then you know what I mean). It’s not hard to believe that the book has topped the New York Times Best Seller lists year after year. Kitchen Confidential is one of those books you can keep revisiting and be just as entertained the third time as you were the first. You’re sure to discover something new with each turn of the page.
There are so many gems in this read, but one of my personal favorites is this: “Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.” Those are some excruciatingly wise words from one of the most humble and well-traveled humans that ever graced this planet with his presence. And I’ll add to that, enjoy the ride that is Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential with a triple espresso because you’ve got a lot of traveling, er, reading to do.
Did you know that espresso is not a roasting method, bean, or blend? Instead, it’s a method of coffee preparation in which heavily-pressurized hot water is poured over coffee grinds to produce a very concentrated beverage with a potent flavor. In other words, it requires a substantial amount of good chemistry, as does being a chef!
Kitchen Confidential is not the type of book you wanna put on the back burner, and yes, pun intended. This book should immediately go on everyone’s “Currently Reading” shelves on Goodreads.
Bonus Book: Swipe Write: 20 Online Dates with 20 Different Men by (Yours Truly) Lindsay Taylor Dellinger | Goodreads
My recently released debut memoir about 20 online dates with 20 different men is so much more than an entertaining tell-all. What began as a challenge set forth by my hairdresser turned into a year’s worth of self-growth and discovery. The humorous online dating stories are sprinkled with childhood anecdotes and musings that, hopefully, make the reader feel a little less alone in this thing we’re doing called “being human.”
While I know this post is about what kind of coffee I’d pair with each book, I’d have to change it up and pair vino with Swipe Write. Not just any vino, but a heavy pour of Josh Cellars California-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m talking one of those oversized glasses that make you wanna put your pinky up while tasting. Cabernet is an international grape, though its origins began in France. Josh Cellars’ Cabernet is the first and only wine they made for quite some time, so you know it’s gotta be good.
A big chunk of Swipe Write’s storyline occurs at wineries on the Central Coast of California. I also mention wine several times within its pages, so it’s only fitting that one enjoys a glass of cab while reading its 50 chapters.
On the other hand, if you prefer java, I recommend a coconut latte as I enjoy a couple of those throughout my book. Long before colonialism, Austronesian people traveled east to Central America’s Pacific coast, bringing the coconuts that originated in Southeast Asia. Coconut milk first appeared in the cuisines of numerous nations worldwide about 2,000 years ago. Still, coconut milk as part of our morning pick-me-ups didn’t catch on until much later. Starbucks didn’t start offering it as an option until 2015, finally saving us lactose-intolerant folks from paying double for our “non-fat” lattes!
And there ya’ have it – Five great reads to compliment your next cuppa and five jolting javas + a bonus libation to enhance that escape into storytime. Happy reading!
If you had to pair a beverage with a book, what would the beverage and book be? Share in the comments below!
While I am not a tea/coffee/wine/beer/anything connoisseur, I love days when I can enjoy reading with my standard dark roast coffee. The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies (review here) has convinced me to try a hot toddy at some point and I will definitely be drinking that when the follow up book in Cruel Gods come out. 🙂
Banner image on Unsplash.
Be First to Comment