Homemade Soda

April 15, 2011

As the seasoned author of 15 successful cookbooks (e.g., Art of the Slow Cooker), Schloss does not disappoint here. This collection contains 200 recipes for carbonated beverages, ranging from the expected (Rooty Toot Root Beer) to the gourmet (Spiced Balsamic Fig Sparkler). In addition to the soda recipes, Scholss devotes two chapters to food cooked with the drinks, covering both savory main dishes and sweet desserts. The short descriptions that accompany each recipe are carefully written to communicate taste and mouthfeel with vivid accuracy. Whenever possible, drink recipes have a range of options including carbonating with a siphon or even mixing into a cocktail. VERDICT The retro fonts and stylish layout make this book a modern answer to Stephen Cresswell's 1998 Homemade Root Beer, Soda, & Pop. Accessible to novice soda makers and appealing to experts, this is an exceptional collection and a comprehensive resource for both kitchen and bar.--Carolyn M. Schwartz, Westfield State Univ. Lib., MA

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2011
Making sodas at home may be uncharted territory for even the most serious foodies. Schloss exhaustive menu of recipes and tips, however, shows just how approachable it can be. Cataloging more than 200 recipes, from such time-honored staples as root beers, colas, cream sodas, and ginger ales to newer types like sparkling teas, herbal sodas, and the ber-trendy kombucha, Schloss leaves no stone unturned. Along with those basic concoctions, Schloss includes such truly imaginative examples as blueberry cinnamon soda and cardamom apricot soda. For each, he proffers detailed instructions for turning syrup into actual soda with either seltzer water, a soda siphon, and/or through brewing with yeast. Throughout the recipes, information is provided on such hidden constituents as caffeine, working with kombucha, and the eternal debate over calling the stuff soda or pop. The back third of the book is devoted to incorporating carbonated beverages into both savory and sweet dishes; recipes include ginger ale braised pork shoulder and cola meatloaf (savory) and chocolate root beer cheesecake (sweet). Plenty of similar books exist, but this gorgeous collection is in a class by itself. A must-have for budding soda jerks and brewing pros alike.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)