About

Lesley Solmonson has been writing about spirits, wine, and food for over fifteen years. Her books “Gin: A Global History” and "The 12 Bottle Bar" (co-written) were both nominated for Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. The latter book has been translated into Dutch, as well as being chosen as a 2014 notable spirits/cocktail book by Punch.com and as one of the best cocktail/recipe books of 2022 by BBC Good Food. It was also featured in Town & Country magazine's "15 Cocktail Books to Improve Your Bartending Skills". "Gin" has been translated into Japanese and Spanish; the Edible series of which it is a part was touted in the New York Times' 2022 Food and Drink holiday gift guide. From 2015 to 2022, Lesley was senior editor at Chilled magazine. Her freelance writing can be seen in major publications including the Los Angeles Times, Imbibe, Wine Enthusiast, C, and Sierra, as well as websites like Bloomberg, PBS, and liquor.com. She has been interviewed by Publisher's Weekly, Imbibe, KCRW, and The Splendid Table, as well as spoken extensively about cocktails and spirits for groups including the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Culinary Historians of Southern California, and the Museum of the American Cocktail. Currently, Lesley is a Curatorial Consultant for the Culinary Culture Center in Los Angeles. Her newest book “Liqueur: A Global History” will be published in Spring 2024.