Book+Beverage — Spring 2022
The Book: The Guide by Peter Heller
Imagine you are acting as a fishing guide at an exclusive, remote resort in the Colorado wilderness. You spend your days fishing by the river and retire to your own cozy cabin near the river bank, guiding guests towards the best spots for the best catches. Then, late one night out with a client while enjoying each other’s company and the fresh mountain air, an ear-splitting scream echoes off the towering trees around you…
Where did the scream come from? Perhaps there’s something a bit fishy about the Kingfisher Lodge, other than the name and the trout in the river, of course. Eager to find out what happens next? Pick up Peter Heller’s The Guide to find out.
The story reintroduces Jack, the main character in one of Heller’s other novels, The River. But don’t worry if you haven’t embarked on that journey yet. Heller’s accessible prose ensures readers are enthralled and informed from page one.
Sitting at just over 250 pages, The Guide offers the audience, and its characters, little to no respite from the break-neck pace, twists and turns. Lock yourself in some undisturbed remote location this spring break to enjoy this gripping tale in peace. But don’t let your imagination get the best of you if you find yourself in the forest alone late one night …
Photo by Bobby L’Heureux
The Beverage: Tabernash Sour
Who better to choose a beverage for this pairing than the author of our book pick and Colorado local himself, Peter Heller? For the ultimate reading experience, whip up this quick and easy cocktail — the Tabernash Sour.
“Created by my dear friend Andy Arnold, a former doc at the base of Winter Park ski resort, the Tabernash Sour contains Ancient Age bourbon and Hansen’s grapefruit juice on ice,” Heller shares.
This regionally renowned drink, formerly served at The Tavern restaurant in Tabernash, is easy to make and even easier to enjoy. Just add an ounce of bourbon to a jelly jar glass filled with ice and top with Hansen’s to taste.
“No garnish, but always accompanied by an hour of great storytelling. Andy was a former ski trooper who loved a great story,” Heller recalls of his friend, who sadly passed away a few years ago.
In the spirit of the Tabernash Sour, pick up The Guide for what will surely feel like an hour of great storytelling, even if it takes you a bit longer to savor the enticing descriptions of the Colorado wilderness and the final dregs of your cocktail pairing.
Originally published in the Spring 2022 of Spoke+Blossom.