Neil Ridley

The ultimate guide to picky bits and drinks pairings for every season, brought to you by drinks expert, TV presenter and author of The Crisp Sommelier, Neil Ridley.Long live picky bits! Whether you’re throwing together a last-minute party or knackered after a long day at work, picky bits are your saving grace. With over 140 picky bits and 70 drinks to boot, you’ll find something for every occasion – from meat, fish and veggie and vegan snacks to alcoholic and non-alcoholic.Sit back in awe as Neil Ridley taps into his endless expertise to guide you through the following:- Find out the perfect picky bit to pair with your drink of choice or vice versa, be it alcoholic or non-alcoholic- Rustle up a picky bit and drinks spread to impress your guests- Answer the ultimate conundrum: What counts as a picky bit?- Discover which picky bit best sums up your personality; are you more tempura prawn or pork pie?As you venture through the different drinks’ sections, including Wine, Beer and Cider, Cocktails, and Non-alcoholic, you’ll find the perfect picky bit to make your drink of choice sing. With fun combinations like Pinot Noir and pork pies, Mojito and buffalo wings, Lager and prawn crackers, Pisco and a cheese and pineapple hedgehog, Irn-Bru and Haggis bon bons, and Apple soda and cheese and bacon loaded potato skins.Let Ridley help you craft the perfect picky spread. For any occasion where a bog-standard dinner won’t do, crack out the picky bits and let the fun commence!

An indispensable guide to finding your perfect crisp and drink pairing from drinks expert and C4 Sunday Brunch presenter Neil Ridley.'A perfect stocking-filler if ever I saw one' Nigella Lawson‘Neil is a one off. This book makes me smile, makes me happy and makes me want to eat crisps!’ Simon Rimmer‘Ranging from mocktail to merlot pairings, The Crisp Sommelier is sure to excite your tastebuds with unexpected pairings you can pick up at your local shop.’ Claire Dinhut_____Crisps and drinks go together like Batman and Robin and with over 130 crisps and 80 drinks to choose from, Neil Ridley draws upon his years of expertise to show you how to: - Find out the perfect crisps to pair with your drink or vice versa, be it alcoholic or non-alcoholic - Design your own snacktravaganza - Learn more about the secretive world of crisp flavourings - Use a flavour wheel, shaped as a Disco crisp no less!Divided into sections including Wine, Beer and Cider, Spirits and Cocktails, and Non-alcoholic, each pairing profile includes tasting notes, humorous titbits (did you know there used to be hedgehog flavoured crisps?) and other unique pairings. With unlikely combinations like Pickled Onion Monster Munch and a gin-based Gibson cocktail to Kombucha and prawn cocktail crisps, this is the only guide you’ll need for your snacking escapades.

*A DECANTER BEST SPIRITS BOOK OF 2024*'[In Fine Spirits offers] an approachable and informative introduction to the world of distilled drinks. The writing is clear, engaging yet authoritative, able to break down complexity with unpretentious accuracy. Anecdotes, cocktail recipes and recommendations add dashes of colour throughout.' Decanter'If you're looking for something to lift spirits, this is it: an utterly authoritative and fabulously entertaining guide to the world of distilled drinks...Harrison and Ridley are entertaining guides to their history, politics and flavours - plus some recipes.' Daily Express *From the winners of the Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year 2015*The culture of enjoying quality spirits and liquors is now in a new golden age. In Fine Spirits is an accessible and authoritative guide to the world of distilled drinks. Across gin, whisky, tequila, rum and vodka , as well as no and low-alcohol alternatives, it examines not just how each spirit is made, but also the culture, history, cocktails and characters key to the success of each. From award-winning experts Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley, In Fine Spirits is designed for anyone who wants to understand more about the bottles in their cabinet, as well as the colourful history and narratives of the countries, drinks, bars and people that have helped create the global renaissance of luxury liquor and fine spirits.

A (very) warm welcome to the world of hot sauce. Whether you’re a fan of heat or flavour, this is the book for you. With absolute classics and a plethora of new and unusual sauces from nearly 50 countries, discover everything you need to know about hot sauce. From moderately mouth-tingling Secret Aardvark Habanero to alive and kicking Diemen’s Stinger, this indispensable guide takes you through an expert selection of the world’s best. In addition, you’ll find an extensive introduction that covers the history, culture and science of hot sauce, tips and tricks from the top industry ‘saucerers’, as well as a seriously tasty recipe for your own homemade style – not to mention 10 simple, mouth-watering recipes for pairing with your collection. This is a fun and fiery celebration of the global phenomenon that is hot sauce.

60 great cocktails that you can put together in the time it takes to open and pour a bottle of wine.

Mixology in a minute This cocktail recipe book from award-winning drink experts offers 60 delicious cocktails you can create in 60 seconds or less. Whether you have classic or adventurous taste, this guide to easy cocktail creation is the perfect addition to your home bar. The recipes include original drinks as well as tasty twists on the classics. Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley prove that mixing cocktails at home doesn't have to be time-consuming or complicated; it's fun, simple, and affordable Featuring 60 cocktails that utilize a variety of spirits--including tequila, gin, rum, whiskey, vodka, and more--this recipe book is divided into three sections: No Shake, Sherlock: The easiest to make, using standard spirits and mixers. Includes a Simple Paloma, a Sloe Gin & Soda, a Douro Spritz, and the Berliner, made with wheat beer. Shake It Up: Slightly more complex drinks requiring a quick shake or a stir. Includes a Bellini, a Firecracker Margarita, a Wonder Mint Julep, and a new Classic Sour. Magnificent Mixes: Specialty cocktails requiring a little more prep or an unusual ingredient. Includes the Best Ever Pi a Colada, an Elderflower Gimlet, and the Sazerac.

Whisky is the world’s favourite spirit and is enjoying booming sales, yet too often it’s shrouded in mystery, myth and complex-sounding terminology. This authoritative book, written by three world experts, gives simple advice on how to seek out and enjoy the immense diversity of flavours and styles on offer, and how to become more adventurous. As with any subject, the more you know, the more you can appreciate and enjoy it. This book aims to equip you with enough knowledge to be able to find your way around the whisky sections of a specialist drinks retailer and to help you feel confident choosing whisky in a bar or restaurant. We aim to demystify whisky without taking away the magic. The history of whisky and production methods are clearly explained, and there is advice on how to nose, taste and savour, as well as a selection of classic whisky cocktails and advice on matching food and whisky. The book covers not just famous Highland malts, Irish pot still whiskeys and American bourbons, but also whiskies from Japan, Canada, Australia and India.

'Excellent' - Susy Atkins, the TelegraphFor everyone and anyone who wants to understand more about gin, this is the definitive guide - covering the best gins the world has to offer, history and production methods, and the countries that have helped make gin a global success story.Never has there been a more striking revolution in the world of distilled spirits than the current renaissance of gin. With small craft distilleries popping up all over the world, from Texas to Tasmania, more varieties and techniques being used than ever before, and a tapestry of tastes from light and citrusy to big bold savoury notes, gin's appeal is extraordinarily wide and varied.From gin made in small batches from local botanicals, through to large facilities which make some of the world's most recognized gin brands, World Atlas of Gin looks at everything from the botanical to the bottle: how and where botanicals are grown and harvested and their role within the flavour of gin; producers and the stories behind their brands; exactly where, and how, gins are made; and, country by country, the best examples to try. Global cocktails are covered too, including the history and country of origin of some of the best-known mixed gin drinks.

Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards Drink Book of the Year 2015.Annual Spirited Awards - Nominated for Best New Spirits Book 2015.Today's world of spirits is experiencing an explosive increase in craft distillers and pioneers of new distillates. It's about men and women tearing up rule books and creating new spirits with extraordinary personality and passion. This book uncovers the best spirits the world has to offer. These are not necessarily the best-known examples on the planet - though if they are good, they have a place here - but the best crafted and most interesting. Spirit by spirit Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley explain what you need to know to appreciate a spirit - its ingredients, its classic forms, the choices a distiller makes in creating it - and offer their picks to 'Drink Before You Expire' - the world's best examples of their type, from gin and rum to shochu and tequila. There are plenty of suggestions for how to drink too, with innovative and classic cocktails and their insider tips on getting the best out of your spirits.