3 stars
The second book in the My Drunk Kitchen series is definitely more mature and refined than the first (read review here). The original book felt very natural with all its flaws and unappealing food. This one was well put together and the food stylist did a good job creating lovely displays, but it felt less Hannah Hart and more glossy magazine in all its fake-ity. The food looked nice, but I didn’t start watching My Drunk Kitchen to see pretty food. I kind of wanted that natural feel back.
As with the first book, this is less a cookbook, and more a self-help book about appreciating life and making a lot of puns. While this one seemed to have more actual recipes than the first, it’s more of a place to get ideas rather than detailed how-tos on making the food. Most of the recipes are very vague and do not include measurements (shout out to Ella’s mom for the perfectly-detailed Black Olive Stuffing recipe; it looks mouthwatering and I definitely want to try making it).
The book is a mix of crafts and cooking ideas. Some of the holidays did not have either attributed to them and just gave some of Hart’s thoughts on life, which was interesting, but I kind of wanted something to go along with it. Others were just semi-related ideas and tips rather than anything “useful” (go out for oysters, try out different hot dog toppings and presentations, etc.).
The pictures are fun and visually appealing. It was entertaining to learn about various lesser-known holidays, read some silly puns, and get to know Hannah Hart a little better. It’s been a while since I read the first one, but she appeared more open about her personal life in this one.
You can definitely tell that Hannah Hart has grown a lot as a person in this book in comparison to the first one. More mature with the same fun humor. Reading/listening to Hart’s jokes and thoughts on life is always a good time.
Overall, an interesting read.