The Great Outdoors Deserves Great Cocktails
![The book “Backcountry Cocktails: Civilized Drinks for Wild Places,” by Steven Grasse and Adam Erace. The cover has a picture of a cliffside as well as an orange cocktail in a glass with ice and an herb garnish.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/07/05/dining/03Burner-Book/03Burner-Book-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)
Packing for a hiking trip takes planning and efficiency, especially when there might be cocktails at trail’s end. Give “Backcountry Cocktails: Civilized Drinks for Wild Places,” by Steven Grasse and Adam Erace, your full attention. A team of experts on drinks and the outdoors contributed their know-how, so along with recipes for an appealing white port peach cobbler; a big batch of honeysuckle punch; the Hiker’s Lament, which starts with store-bought green juice; and a few campfire dishes like grilled trout, they provide advice on dealing with bears, crossing a beaver dam, foraging wild mushrooms and how to pack a cooler. The book has seasonal chapters, all with glorious photography of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Mr. Grasse’s base of operations. There is also a dedication to the Indigenous inhabitants of the region. This hardcover book is too heavy to take on the trail, so take pictures of the pages you need.
“Backcountry Cocktails: Civilized Drinks for Wild Places” by Steven Grasse and Adam Erace (Running Press, $28).