Join us in the bookstore as we welcome André Darlington and Megan Deschaine into the store for a boozy book celebration! This is a ticketed event. Find tickets here!
We are thrilled to welcome André Darlington and Megan Deschaine into the bookstore for a night of conversation and cocktails! André is an award-winning author, restauranteur, and guest speaker. In celebration of his newest book, Bar Menu, he and Charleston's own master mixologist Megan Deschaine will be swapping stories from behind the bar, sharing tips on how to make the most festive cocktails, and sharing tastes with guests!
Doors for this event will open at 5:00 pm with the program to begin at 5:30 pm. Tickets available here!
About André Darlington:
André Darlington is the bestselling author of Booze Cruise: A Tour of the World’s Essential Mixed Drinks and Gotham City Cocktails: Official Handcrafted Food & Drinks From the World of Batman, as well as The Official John Wayne Cocktail Book (Nov 1, ‘22) and Bar Menu (Oct 18, ‘22) . He is co-author of Booze & Vinyl, Booze & Vinyl Vol. 2, The New Cocktail Hour, and TCM’s Movie Night Menus.
In addition to food and beverage writing, André has published two books of poetry. The Prettiest Star was a finalist for INDIES Book of the Year in 2018. Kirkus Reviews called the debut work “breathtaking.” China Bus was an IndieNext Recommended book of 2018 and a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award in 2019.
André has been a columnist for Organic Life magazine, a contributor to Mandarin Quarterly, as well as the alt-weekly, Isthmus, where he was an award-winning food critic and wine columnist. In 2016 he opened the lauded farm-to-table restaurant and natural wine bar, Field Table, designed by JBF award-winning architects, Heliotrope.
André has been a Napa Valley Vintners’ Association Fellow and a judge for the international wine competition, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, as well as for the American Craft Distillers Association. He is a frequent guest speaker for companies, non-profits, and clubs such as Google, The Smithsonian, ThinkCompany, and Park House Dallas.
About Megan Deschaine:
Originally from Charleston, SC, Megan Deschaine has been making cocktails for the last 15 years. She is very proud to have run and worked some of the most acclaimed spots all over town, including Little Palm, Doar Bros., The Macintosh, and 492 (R.I.P.). She first caught the cocktail bug in Baltimore while bartending her way through college. Alas, she has never worked as a high school Spanish teacher.
Deschaine prides herself as a fierce advocate of the Charleston cocktail community, championing Southern hospitality across the nation, and through her work volunteering for the local chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. Her accolades include wins in several regional and national cocktail competitions and being published in several amazing cocktail resources, including Drinking Like Ladies, by Kirsten Amann and Misty Kalkofen, and Mezcal and Tequila Cocktails, by NYT journalist Robert Simonson.
Deschaine has a heart for hospitality and a healthy sense of humor and most recently has taken her talents to her own business, BETTER POUR, throwing parties and demystifying mixology in homes across the Lowcountry.
Currently, she and her husband, Mathew, are eagerly awaiting their first born, due in March.
About Bar Menu:
Craft unforgettable happy hours at home with this globally inspired collection of 100+ crave-worthy bar bites and cocktail pairings from the bestselling author of Booze & Vinyl and The New Cocktail Hour.
Bring the world’s best drinking food home and into your kitchen with this stylish recipe book featuring more than 100 drool-worthy, easy-to-prepare dishes. Award-winning food-and-drink writer André Darlington serves up creative bites and reimagined classics from around the globe—everything from quick nosh to wowing party-pleasers—to make Bar Menu the ultimate guide to boozy eating and entertaining at home. Whether you are a cocktailer looking for food pairings, or an armchair traveler eager to recreate iconic bar bites from the comfort of your own kitchen, this is your bible for hosting memorable cocktail hours. Companion drink ideas for every dish, 30+ cocktail recipes, quick history lessons, plus tricks and tips on everything from curating menus to batching drinks for a crowd of family and friends make this a cocktail hour cookbook unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Recipes include Persian Saffron Pistachios, Piri Piri Shrimp Cocktail, Cacio e Pepe Frittata, Gin-Cured Gravlax, Cocktail Ramen Eggs, Italian Riviera Meatballs, Sticky Flanken Ribs, Jalapeño-Corn Sablés, Mezcal Pudding, African Ginger Cakes, and many more.