Tipsy in Madras: A complete guide to 80s preppy drinking [Mass Market Paperback]

Matt Walker (Author), Marissa Walsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 4, 2004

Gin and Tonic anyone?

Remember the days of sipping Cape Codders in Cape Cod? Bloody Marys over brunch in SoHo? And Old Fashioneds at the Harvard Club?

No?

Doesn't matter. The 80s may be over, but the preppy attitude that pervaded the era lives on in classic drinks with a kick. Tipsy in Madras will help readers "prep" their bar, discern the brands to have on hand, mix their drinks, and delve into the timeless lifestyle. Wanna-bes and prepster hold-outs will get insight into preppy drinking fashion, customs, literature, and more-and answers to such essential preppy questions as:

Do Brahmins drink beer?

To monogram or not to monogram?

Where does one find authentic prep school mugs?

What are the best preppy movies to drink by?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What defines a preppy cocktail? Archaism (the drink must have existed pre-80s), character (nothing cheap or easy), understatement (nothing with an umbrella) and, of course, Anglicanism (if it’s exotic, it ain’t preppy). Beginning with an insightful essay on the demise of preppy culture in the early 1990s, this book goes on to chronicle the how-tos of drinking for the Lacoste set. Walker and Walsh, who make clear that they attended prep school, not boarding school, serve up a funny critique of preppy society and the beverages that accompany it. Recipes for concocting the usual drinks—Bloody Marys, Gin and Tonics, Cape Codders, Gimlets, Manhattans—are here, as well as suggestions for stocking the bar (preps, the authors say, favor Dewar’s over Chivas Regal), summertime drinking (go ahead and pour yourself a Seabreeze, but for goodness sakes steer clear of the Sex on the Beach) and brunch ("a.k.a. socially sanctioned daytime drinking"). Although the book concerns an elitist lifestyle, its tone is never snobby and it can actually be quite amusing ("unless you want to give dear Bitsy a concussion with a jet-propelled stray cork, here’s how to open a champagne bottle with safety and aplomb"). Useless sidebars (such as a list of essential summer reading—including Salinger, Fitzgerald and Updike, among other familiar choices) are the only lackluster element to this snappy guide to getting drunk Blair Warner style.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399529853
• ISBN-13: 978-0399529856
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars had fun getting tipsy !!!, May 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Tipsy in Madras: A complete guide to 80s preppy drinking (Mass Market Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book, written with a sense of humor and alot of info, it brought back some great memories..I also enjoyed making a few of the drinks,,love those bloodies!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Is Bleeding Madras the Morning After?, November 26, 2004

By 

Ronald M. Scanlon (South of Boston,MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tipsy in Madras: A complete guide to 80s preppy drinking (Mass Market Paperback)

I roared with delight as I read through these pages of "Tipsy in Madras", as did those to whom I read portions aloud. It brought back to the present my journeys through New England and New York visiting friends at the schools described and trying to remember if my Madras shirts were bleeding on the mornings after our cultural exchanges in the effort to find the perfect martini, (at the Algonquin Oak Room), or the best beer for brushing our teeth,(Turborg). Buy this, you will know instantly how to rate your drinking partners. This has the best directions and the best standards for past and future Preppys.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really Good!, March 12, 2006

By 

Pretty Prep (MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tipsy in Madras: A complete guide to 80s preppy drinking (Mass Market Paperback)

The book is a good book in the sense of what the subject is: drinks for the preps. There was mention of what to "wear" and such, but it didn't get into that, look for other sources like the Preppy Handbook for that. Otherwise, a really good book, fun to read, recipes, and a great sense of humor! You can tell that the authors had fun writing this book.