Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Yaa Gyasi’s 2020 novel Transcendent Kingdom. Topics include neuroscience, the trauma of addiction, and the hip-hip-hypocrisy of religion.

This week’s drink: Gray Matter (made by Taylor!)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 - 2oz gin

Juice from ½ grapefruit

½ TB rosemary simple syrup

4 dashes plum bitters

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a shaker with ice, combine gin, rosemary simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and plum bitters. Shake until chilled.
2. Strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with rosemary sprig and grapefruit slice.
3. To make rosemary simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water and bring to a boil. Once sugar is dissolved, turn heat to low, add rosemary sprigs, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let syrup sit for an hour. Pour into glass container. 

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Join us next time as we discuss The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

Here is the cocktail recipe for the upcoming episode if you want to drink along with us!

The Nellie via Carla Davis at 1428elm.com

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin

1 oz honey simple syrup

1 egg white

½ oz lemon juice (or juice from 2 lemon wedges)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine gin, honey simple syrup, and egg white in a shaker; shake dry (no ice) for 20-30 seconds, as hard as you can. You can add a blender ball to help create the frothy foam you are trying to achieve with the egg white.
2. Add ice, remove blender ball (if using), and shake again 3-5 seconds, until the shaker starts to get cold. Do not over shake, as the foam will break and fall flat.
3. Strain into your glass of choice. Immediately before drinking, add the lemon juice to the drink for the “ghostly apparition” to appear.
4. For the honey simple syrup: heat ½ cup honey, ½ cup sugar, and 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Let cook until desired thickness. Note: it will appear thin and runny in the pan, but when cooled, it will have a thicker syrup consistency.