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Get On 'Bord

by Alex Richmond

Cocktail recipe books are nothing new. Usually, they’re utilitarian and boxy, something to pull off the shelf and dust off during parties or trivia competitions. All that might change with the arrival of the Chambord cocktail book titled La Vie de Chambord, poised to land this April. Shot in France by a number of photographers, the book intends to be more like a fashion lookbook than a typical cocktail recipe book.

Robert Cooper, brand manager and vice president of marketing for Chambord and Pravda vodka, launched the ambitious project to strengthen the Chambord brand to the level of Hermés or Cartier. "It's a lifestyle accessory. I want people to believe that they need a bottle of Chambord in their home at all times."

Like the slim, leather-bound book cataloging the newest Gucci collection, the Chambord volume will be more suitable for coffee-table display. Cooper wants it to be collectible, and plans two more books in the series. The second, a Chambord cookbook, will be taste-tested at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Instead of just straight-ahead recipes, La Vie de Chambord will be compartmentalized into four moods; times when people like to drink: "morning," "celebration," "tranquil" and "rendezvous." The 20 best recipes will be shot in a more fashion-layout style, alongside models portraying the moods. Seventy-five thumbnail photos with recipes will be included in the index.

So, how do the recipes hold up on their own? There's only one way to find out. On a snowy afternoon, I tromped to Bridget Foy's for a Chambord cocktail tasting of preliminary selections for the upcoming book. Trays of fresh berries, a plate of crushed Toblerone and a bottle of elderflower syrup (which Cooper promised me serves as the hot new ingredient in bars like Bungalow 8 in New York City) stood nearby, ready to be called into action.

Some recipes are simple, like the Chambord mojito called the "Momo," a Chambord Collins or the classic blush, called "Lush," mostly champagne with an ounce of Chambord poured in. Others are extremely complex, like one with steeped, cooled jasmine tea or other fruit infusions that require a day of preparation. Drinks are rated on difficulty as well as taste. After a while, though, it becomes harder to stop drinking.

Cooper has to choose his top favorites out of the 75 recipes. Some combinations, like his favorite caramelized apple cinnamon mix, came easily to him. Others, like the "Honeyberry" mix of lemon and honey is more like a cup of tea, but with ice. Does it make the final cut? At this point, my head is buzzing, and even Cooper is loathe to say what's in and what's not. "This is tough. People think it's fun, but it's really such a bitch." The book will be available through promotional distribution and in gift packs in liquor stores.