While men in literature and of literature speak of alcohol and are remembered by their signature drinks, not much is known of female authors and poets who also loved to drink just as much. But we’re here to fix that! Here are a few renowned women literary geniuses and their favourite drinks.
Dorothy Parker, Whisky Sour
The poet and short story writer Dorothy Parker had a great penchant for liquor, but she favoured whiskey sours the most. A cocktail of whiskey, lemon and lime juice garnished with a cherry and a lemon rind, the simplicity of this drink is the complete opposite of Parker who was known for her wit and satire.
Carson McCullers, Hot Tea & Sherry
Author of The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, McCullers used to enjoy sipping some hot tea mixed with sherry. She would pour the drink in a flask to be inconspicuous and drink it throughout the day while profusely claiming she was having just tea – goals, no?
Jean Stafford, Wine
The Pulitzer Prize winning author Jean Stafford gave us many wonderful books including The Collected Stories of Jean Stafford and The Mountain Lion. Like many of us, Jean too enjoyed her quiet time with wine. She may have had a less than happy life but she really did know her writing and her liquor.
Edna St Vincent Millay, Between The Sheets
Millay was just as bold as the name of her favourite drink. A feminist activist of her time and a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Edna St Vincent Millay liked a cocktail called Between The Sheets. This drink was basically a sidecar with rum but really just a great drink to order out loud.
Anne Sexton, Martini
Poetess supreme (and another Pulitzer Prize winner) Anne Sexton was a great friend of Sylvia Plath’s and the two would reportedly frequently get martinis together. They would discuss the seminar they were attending over the drink and bonded since they had a lot in common. Although both their lives ended tragically, they are forever etched in the history of literature.
