Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits

The book is really beautifully crafted, the cloth bound spine (the cover transitions to print as you can see in the amazon images), Southern Magnolia wallpaper printed end papers are pretty and unexpected. Nice photography etc. throughout. It is a warm easy read. I enjoyed it more than a few of her bookclub pics my bookclubs have read (*Eleanor Oliphant and Crawdads). The books pictured on "her bookshelves" are classics and modern classics, I have many of the same ones on my shelves I plan to look up some of the others). I do think her bookclub suggestions are often books that she selects because they will make good movies or TV (a friend and I agree Crawdads was definitely better as a movie).I'd hesitate to call it a cookbook. There are about 7 menus with 5 recipes or items within each menu (a drink, appetizer, main, sides and dessert usually). A couple are her recipes like chili pie, chicken potpie her interpretation of her grandmothers fried chicken (she said she found a couple recipes her grandmother had saved and combined them into a good approximation). There are probably 10 other recipes not included in the menus so 45 recipes but 7 of them are drinks like sun tea, lemonade etc. a couple are cocktails some basic a couple more unique. About 1 item or recipe in each menu is "good enough-ing" (olives or cheese plate suggested but not actually listed beyond the menu--obviously you don't need a menu to set out olives). The mud pie truffle is coolwhip, instant pudding, oreos and source a chocolate cake with her suggesting you bake up a box--which is relatable. About half of the recipes are credited to Annie Campbell not quite sure who that is, her friend that throws good parties? I plan on trying the chili pie and the squash casserole looks similar to the one my grandma made (who like most Southern Grandmothers cooked by touch not by measurements) so I am excited to to try that. I am always fascinated by different theories on biscuits so I'll likely try the biscuit at some point. The recipes appear very thorough she reminds you to thaw the coolwhip for the trifle for example.As far as things I noticed about her background. Her dad is a vocal surgeon in Nashville (possibly Dolly's--she implied Dolly contacted her through her dad when she was preparing for a role), her mom is an artist that went back to school to become a nurse and her beloved grandmother was a 1st grade teacher. Her brother lives in the ancestral home as the 4th(?) generation. I am not sure what her beloved grandfather did but I assume he did it well. She talks about "Cadillac" being the family car for 2-3 generations and roadtrips. So it sounds like her family was probably prominent in Nashville long before her own success as an actress. Which makes her love of girls getting pearl necklaces for special occasions and monogramming unsurprising. She thanks 5 women for "finding the soccer jersey and getting the chicken fingers on the table" so it is safe to say she has a whole team that make her lifestyle work professionally and at home. However, she still manages to comes across as mostly grounded, hardworking and relatable.

I got this for my daughter as a present at graduation as she starts her career and new home... it's perfect!!!

What a delightful read. I almost felt like I was having a conversation with Reese! Light hearted and funny and I learned a lot about southern customs. Y'all will enjoy the read and maybe find a recipe or two to make for your friends and family.

I love Reese Her book is charming and a nice nod to her grandparents Some yummy recipes are includedAlso beautiful photos

I had already flipped through this book at a friends house, and immediately decided I needed to have a hard copy for myself. It is beautiful and well written. However, be careful when ordering, I assumed I was buying a brand new copy, and it arrived to me with an inscription to someone else, and a bookmark.

This book is awesome!

I checked out this book from the library to read. I have enjoyed it so much, that I have bought a copy for myself. Reese is kind, elegant and down to earth. The love she has for her family is heart warming. Her recipe suggestions for various parties and get to there are on point. Can't wait to try a few!

Every so often we come across a book that is total escapism. When I read Hollywood actor Reese Witherspoon’s Whiskey in a Tea Cup I was released into a world of southern ladies preparing high-calorie comfort foods and relaxing on wide, breezy porches sipping mint juleps. The title is a metaphor for strong southern ladies in delicate, feminine packaging. Same idea as steel magnolias. This is one of those books that embraces you right from the get-go. It’s a combination of lifestyle, memoir, decorating, fashion, culture and down-home cooking in perfect harmony. And the photography is a visual feast.Strong southern women, in fact strong women in general, are often the daughters and granddaughters of strong women. Following in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers, today’s women embrace and respect the traditions of earlier generations while painting their own lives with modern and progressive brush strokes. Witherspoon shares the history of her southern roots to create a beautiful and evocative mural of genteel living.This book is not a Hollywood memoir with a chronology of lovers, movies and name-dropping. It’s a sharing of lifestyle and personal experiences in the company of family and friends. We’re given a brief family history which builds to sharing of family recipes and traditions. Witherspoon appreciates and values her relationships with long-time girlfriends and they are part of the thread of her everyday life. Entertaining is the essence of southern hospitality and she shares menus, recipes, decorating and even suggests music playlists she’s created to enhance the southern experience.Witherspoon has a busy life outside of her acting career. The mother of three has her own retail line, “Draper James”; she hosts a popular on-line book club and in 2016 established Hello Sunshine, a female-oriented media brand and content company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling across all platforms.The book is “Martha-esque” in format but much more welcoming and casual. Many of the wonderful recipes include such low-tech ingredients as Cool Whip. I’ve tried a couple already and next on my list is her Summer Squash Casserole. All are exquisitely photographed.I originally downloaded Whiskey in a Tea Cup from the library and loved the book so much I decided I should have my own copy for future reference so I purchased it from Amazon (where it was cheaper than the big box store). In fact, I also bought it for a couple of friends I knew would love it as much as I do. It’s a 9 out of 10 and would make a wonderful gift, not only for yourself, but as a Christmas, hostess or birthday gift. Enjoy, y’all

I hate this book. It arrived this morning and I thought I’d have a little look see while I had a cuppa. 8 hours and several cups of tea later I’m sat on the sofa with a pile of untouched ironing, I have no internation of doing the ironing now. I will however make some sweet tea now.

I absolutely love, love, love Reese Witherspoon, so when I came across her book, it was a no brainer; I wanted it -- and I got it 😁 the reviews I had read done the book justice, it was just as amazing as they said it was. The beautiful pictures, the brilliant recipes, and Reese as a writer, is just as skilful and graceful as she is an actress. I couldn't put it down.from the second it came through the post (next day delivery I might add, wanted it that badly lol), I opened it and read it from front to back cover in one sitting.I have read it again since, only I took my time on my second reading, I wanted to look at the pictures longer, and just take in the beautiful writing and delicious looking recipes.If you are just as much a fan of Reese Witherspoon, or even if all you want to do is to try and make some authentic Southern American family friendly recipes -- then this is the book for you.P.S I will more than likely read this book several more times.

I finished the book in couple of days, it gives a warm feeling and some insight on Reese's personality and lifestyle. It also has plenty of interesting unusual recipes that I can't wait to try! Photos are beautiful and personal tips sound like Reese is actually talking to you :)

Dissapointed. If you have a lot of money to spend for parties, decorations, furniture, fancy clothes and gardening than it’s sort of ok but if you are an average income person than this is just a book of dreamland...

I'm in love with the book, really wonderful. However there is a toxic plastic smell coming off of it that feels like a health hazard to inhale as I read it. I'd like to ask Amazon if it is the book itself or how it's been stored - in a plastic box perhaps (i.e. whether it's worth returning and buying from another seller), but there doesn't seem to be an option to ask about the order, only to return it. It says it's printed in Italy but it smells like tar. What a shame if it is the book production itself - books used to smell so good. Though this is the first book I've ever bought that smelled like this. The hard spine was also slightly damaged.