10. The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin

May 31

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Tom Lin’s 2021 debut novel The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. Topics include the mystical nature of the desert, western tropes, and who would be a better ringmaster in the movie version: Tom Hanks or Christoph Waltz? (It’s Christoph Waltz).

This week’s drink: Oolong Old Fashioned via Palais de Thés

INGREDIENTS

0.4 oz oolong tea leaves

8.5 oz filtered water

2 oz bourbon

1 sugar cube

3-4 drops angostura bitters

1 orange zest

Ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Infuse tea leaves in water at room temperature for 4 hours. Remove the infused leaves and place in a cool place.

Place the sugar in the glass. Sprinkle a few drops of angostura and crush with a pestle (the sugar cube can be replaced with liquid cane sugar).

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Add a few ice cubes.
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Pour in the bourbon and add 3 oz of infused tea (adjust to suit your taste).

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Mix with a spoon.
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Squeeze the zest above the glass.
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Current Reads and Recommendations:

I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins

For many more modern/weird western recommendations, stay tuned for our bonus episode!

Check out Tom Lin’s blog: https://twotreeforest.com/fieldnotes

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Purchase books via bookshop.org or check them out from your local public library.

Join us next time as we discuss Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Here is the cocktail recipe for next week’s episode if you want to drink along with us!

Malibu Sunset via Averie Cooks

INGREDIENTS

Ice cubes

Pineapple-orange juice

Malibu coconut rum

Grenadine

Maraschino cherries

Pineapple and / or orange slices (for garnishing)

DIRECTIONS

Add ice to a glass, followed by the juice and Malibu. Then, give it a good stir.

Drizzle in the grenadine (use however much you’d like!) and garnish with cherries, pineapple, and orange slices.

Taylor Jackson