RED Friday: The Hot Beverage, Baked Brie and Mango Tequila Cider

New Year, New Sips: January Book Club at RED

January always feels like a fresh notebook—blank pages, clean lines, endless possibilities. The holidays are behind us, the world is quieter, and it’s the perfect time to gather with friends for a book club that’s about more than just reading. At RED (Read, Eat, Drink), we believe that new beginnings are best celebrated together—with stories, flavors, and a mug (or cocktail glass) in hand.

This month, we're easing into the year with comfort, warmth, and a little bit of wonder.

READ: The Hot Beverage by Ravneet Kaur

A book club classic is great, but sometimes you stumble across a book that feels like a gentle nudge into something new. The Hot Beverage by Ravneet Kaur is exactly that—a quiet, thoughtful collection that invites you to slow down, savor, and notice the small kindnesses of life.

There’s a line from the poem “Clouds in the sky” that captures what January feels like at RED:“The sky poured me gently into a new city, and life, like a kind barista, handed me a hot beverage – one I hadn’t ordered, but needed.”

Isn’t that just what we’re all looking for at the start of the year? Something unexpected, something warming, something that feels just right. This book is a perfect January companion.Pick up your copy on Amazon.

EAT: Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry

Book club snacks should be easy to share, comforting, and just a little bit indulgent. Enter: Baked Brie with Jam in Puff Pastry. This is the kind of dish that makes people lean in, rip off a corner, and smile at the melty goodness stretching between bites. Flaky pastry, gooey brie, a sweet layer of jam—what more could you want after a cold January day?

Serve it warm, let everyone dig in, and watch the conversation flow.Get the recipe here.

DRINK: Mango Tequila Cider Cocktail

Today, we’re mixing up Mango Tequila Cider Cocktails. It’s a little unexpected—like January’s weather, like the first pages of a new book. It’s also a nod to another thoughtful line in Kaur’s poetry:“But my Dad carries home mangoes, with soft hands, all summer long, just for me.”

There’s something about mango and cider together that feels both sunny and grounding. The tequila wakes things up, but it’s the sweetness of the mango that lingers.Try it for yourself.

Book club at RED is about more than just what’s on the page. It’s about how we show up for each other, what we share, and the little comforts we find along the way.

Book Club Topic Ideas

• Have you ever received something you didn’t know you needed—like a hot beverage from life?

• What’s your “comfort food” when you’re starting something new?

• How do the poems in The Hot Beverage make you think differently about everyday kindness?

• Which line from the book stuck with you the most, and why?

• If your year was a drink, what would it be?

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Here’s to new beginnings, old friends, and the kind of warmth you find in good company. Let’s ease into the year—together.

Happy Reading, Eating and Drinking!