Books turn spotlight on Hollywood's famous on-screen drinks

From James Bond to Jeffrey "the Dude" Lebowski there are plenty ofpopculture characters with signature cocktails.Some are even particular about the preparation. Would anybody offer Daniel Craig a martini that had been stirred?

Two new books explore some of the iconic drinks and drinkers from books, TV and movies. We spoke to CBC pop culture columnistTara McCarthy about Will Francis and Stacey Marsh's Cocktails ofthe Moviesand Scott M. Deitche's Cocktail Noir.

How deeply are booze and pop culture intertwined?

Drinks have featuredin films andtelevision for decadesandin literature for centuries. In films and TV, I'm sure we can all conjure up images of a protagonist drowning their sorrows, or celebrating, by ordering another cocktail. In literature, booze has often been referencedon the page, and just as often used by the penauthors of the beat generation were especiallyknown to enjoy a libation or two.

Many vintage cocktails have made a comeback as the mixology movement has gained traction, with bars offering far more than a simple gin and tonic. Cocktail culture has been revitalized thanks in part to shows such asMad Men, whereDon Draper was oftenseendowning an old fashioned.

How does this connection come to life in Cocktails of the Movies?

The book offers an alphabetical list of on-screen concoctions,from scenes both memorable and forgettable.Francis and Marsh came up withthe idea whileyou guessed itwatching a movie.

Francis' theory is that cocktails are a "style cue,"the way costumes are, to tell you who a character is.

In his book, each of the 64 drinks features ona two-page spread, which includes the cocktailrecipe, a bit ofhistory, and how it appears in the selected film. The illustrations arerealistic drawings of the characters whoconsumethe drinks.

Of course, you couldn't havea book about booze on the big screen without including James Bond. Sure enough, there's Daniel Craig and thevodka "Vesper" martini he ordered in Casino Royale. There's alsoHumphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablancawith the recipe for a French 75 gin, lemon juice, sugar syrupand champagne. AndMarilyn Monroe's Sugar Kane from Some Like it Hothad a penchant for Manhattans bourbon, sweet vermouthand bitters.

There's also a Mississippi Punch from Breakfast at Tiffany's, anOrange Whip from The Blues Brothers, Turquoise Blue from Cocktailand a White Russian from The Big Lebowski.

How about Cocktail Noirwhat approach does that book take?

This book digs into the connection between cocktails and crime, with recipes to boot. Specifically, it looks at the gangsters (both fictional and real) who loved their libations.

Author Scott Deitche, who haswritten a few books about the Mafia lifestyle,delves into prohibition, mob authors and their cocktails of choiceand America's infamous gangster bars.

Cocktail Noir profiles real-life mobsters such asAl Capone, wholoved a Manhattanmade with Templeton, his favourite rye. It also explores Frank Sinatra's love of whiskey. There's also a section devoted to drinks on the silver or, noir screen.

Any surprising or unusual drinksin either of these books?

There are lots of popularmartinis and daiquiris featured, but also some drinksthat aren't exactly household names.

I had no idea that cable network HBO worked with a bourbon manufacturer to develop signature cocktails inspired by the show Boardwalk Empire, such as Lucky's Manhattan named for mobster Charles "Lucky" Luciano.

Cocktails of the Movieseven includes somethingnobody's ever actually tasted the fictionalMoloko Plus, from A Clockwork Orange. Neither Stanley Kubrick'sfilm nor Anthony Burgess's original novelspecifythe actual ingredients (beyond milk), but Cocktails of the Movies has a concoction to try. Not to worry, though, they left out the hallucinogenic drugs!