What's more fun than talking about my book, The Cooking Class in Kuala Lumpur? That's a tough question. Whenever possible I try to mix in food and beverages because the book is all about cooking, eating and drinking. The joy of Malaysia is best conjured up with a bite of spicy, sweet and salty shrimp in coconut curry sauce or dipping cucumber and jicama into a scary black sauce that tastes so weird and good. Once the flavors start dominating the mouth and mind, it's gets people's attention. It's mysterious. "What is this I'm eating?" It's inspiring. "Let's eat more!"  It makes people curious about the place and the book. "The recipes for this are in the book!"

A festive pink beverage to go with the shrimp, anchovies and salad is perfect because it is not too sweet, which works well with the food bites. This small tasting menu highlights key flavors in Malaysian cuisine and even though most of the crowd had never tasted these dishes before, everyone's smiling and licking their lips and saying, "That's wonderful. Is there more?" I love book events!

Jungle Bird

A tropically inspired 1970s sipper from the Aviary bar in Kuala Lumpur, this adaptation combines a delicious mix of dark rum, Campari and fruit juices.

1 1/2 oz. blackstrap rum
3/4 oz. Campari
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup (1:1)
1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
Ice cubes and crushed ice
Tools:
Glass: Old Fashioned

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice cubes and strain into an Old Fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.

Adapted by Lantern’s Keep, New York City