Title:	Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together
	Author:	Andrew Volk, Briana Volk
	Published:	August 28, 2018, Voyageur Press
	No. of Pages:	208
	Cover Price:	$30.00 Hardcover, $14.99 Kindle

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Andrew Volk, along with his wife, Briana Volk, opened the Portland Hunt + Alpine Club in 2013. This upscale cocktail bar features both traditional and fancy innovative cocktails, as well as Scandinavian food. The bar has won numerous awards, and the recipes are now included in an excellent cookbook, Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together.

Of course, making the cocktails and foods featured in this cookbook won’t quite capture the ambience of the Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, which is located in Portland, Maine, but there are enough recipes to make for a fabulous gathering. The book also includes vignettes and stories that make for good reading if not ready to cook or mix cocktails. Once ready to cook or mix, however, the recipes are well-written and easy to follow. The photographs are beautiful, and make it difficult to choose what to make next.

The Salmon Soup is an excellent place to start; it is easy and delicious. Good breads are a must with a good meal, and there is a good recipe for real pretzels (food grade lye is available online), and a fabulous version of Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread). If you like rice pudding you’ll want to try Briana’s Scandinavian version of Riccipurra which is excellent, especially with the Finnish Fruit Soup which is ladled over the top. Her Dill Potato Salad is a nice change from traditional potato salad. There is a section featuring easy pickles, and Swedish Meatballs to die for. There are custards and pancakes, including Aebleskivers, all fairly easy to make and every recipe seems to turn out picture perfect.

Of course, the focus of the book is on the fancy, innovative cocktails; there are excellent photographs of each, and good instructions. Cocktail lovers can’t go wrong and will love the new ideas for cocktails that their guests will love.

Anyone who loves good cocktails and Scandinavian foods will want to pick up this excellent cookbook.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.