Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

Photo of Lesley Jacobs Solmonson
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Location
Los Angeles
Expertise
History Of Spirits & Cocktails, Gin, Liqueurs
  • Lesley has three published books. "The 12 Bottle Bar" (co-authored) was listed as a 2014 notable cocktail book by Punch.com, as one of the best cocktail/recipe books of 2022 by BBC Good Food, and as one of "15 Cocktail Books to Improve Your Bartending Skills" by Town & Country magazine.
  • Her books have been translated into Japanese, Spanish, and Dutch.
  • She has amassed such a large collection of spirits that she converted her guest room into a bar.

Experience

Lesley has been writing about food and drink for over 20 years. Her work can be seen in the LA Times, Imbibe, Wine Enthusiast, Private Clubs, and Sierra, among others, as well as websites such as Bloomberg, PBS, and liquor.com. She co-founded the cocktail site "The 12 Bottle Bar" with her husband David Solmonson in 2009; the site was a finalist in the Saveur Best Cocktail Blog competition and the basis for the book of the same name. Her other two other books include "Liqueur: A Global History" and "Gin: A Global History". From 2015 to 2020, she served as senior editor at Chilled magazine, which was nominated as best drinks magazine at Tales of the Cocktail, the industry's most important event. Over the years, 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. She is a staunch believer that the only real martini is made with gin and that it is impossible to frown when you're drinking any cocktail adorned with an umbrella.

Education

Lesley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television.

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Stories By Lesley Jacobs Solmonson