The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create the World’s Great Drinks: 10th Anniversary Edition

The Drunken Botanist manages to combine botany, history, myth, science, chemistry, and gardening tips into a fantastic, highly readable book. Amy Stewart covers in depth individual plants and their role in creating a variety of drinks. The book is divided into three parts that outline the steps to create an exquisite drink.First there is the fermentation and distillation processes that produce alcohol. The discussion of agave is the most complete I have read. For example, Stewart even gets into the taxonomy of agave as well as which parts of the plant are used for fermentation. Included is a "Field Guide to Tequila and Mezcal" and "A Selected List of Agaves and Agave-Based Spirits" as well as cocktail recipes. The super curious reader will be happy to know that no stone is left unturned, the worm sometimes found in a bottle of mezcal is discussed.Part Two is devoted to the many herbs and spices added to alcohol for flavoring. Plain alcohol straight from the still is not pleasant. Botanicals are added in order to take the alcohol to a new level. Perhaps one of the best known examples is gin. Alcohol is redistilled with juniper berries and other botanicals to render gin. Stewart lists twelve common gin ingredients and describes the different styles of gin. I recently came across a Scottish gin with 22 botanicals, named appropriately, The Botanist. A recipe, "The Classic Martini," completes the juniper section.Thus far the alcohol and botanicals have been discussed. Part Three turns to the mixers and garnishes that complete a drink. Herbs, flowers, trees, berries and vines, and fruits and vegetables are covered. Each section begins with a table that lists plants by common and scientific name along with a description and some horticultural notes. There are recipes for syrups (Grenadine), infusions (Garden-Infused Simple Syrup), drinks (Lavender-Elderflower Champagne Cocktail), and even a recipe for brining your own olives. Stewart takes the reader way beyond simply sticking a celery rib in a Bloody Mary. The book ends with a Recommended Reading list and an index.I have already turned down corners of pages so that I can return to a recipe. This book is a welcome delight! Gardeners and even sober botanists will learn and have fun with this book.

Just last night, I went to a booksigning with Amy Stewart for "The Drunken Botanist", the first time I'd heard Stewart speak. Her talk was as infectiously good-spirited (heh heh) as her writing. And, as in her book, there's tons of humor. I laughed when Amy said that when she was researching her previous book, "Wicked Bugs", she had no volunteers to help her. But when she started researching booze for "The Drunken Botanist", "everyone wanted to carry my suitcase".There are all kinds of books out now covering mixology and the new cocktails, etc. What sets Amy's book apart is that she is a horticulturist, and she tells you about the fabulous plants that make or go into all the different kinds of fermented beverages man has come up with.The book is divided into three parts:1. Plants that are fermented to make the alcohol (wheat, potatoes, grapes, etc.)2. Plants that are added to the alcohol (hops, gentian, aloe, etc.)3. Plants that make up mixers and garnishes (spearmint, pomegranate, pepper, etc.)Throughout the book, in the appropriate chapters, are recipes for 50 cocktails, and 13 syrups, infusions and garnishes, such as limoncello and "Brine your own olives".This isn't a staid recitation of facts, but engaging, encompassing and trivia-filled reading. For example, the chapter on sugar cane (in part 1), tells you:- the first and current places sugarcane is cultivated and how it is cultivated- the botany of sugarcane- how to make rum- spirits made from sugar cane- how rum became linked to British sailors- drink recipesDid you know that the British navy had rum rations for it's sailors until 1970! Do you know how to tell "real" tonic water from the cheap imitation? How about why a splash of water actually heightens the flavor of a spirit instead of diluting it?There's a member of the iris family called Orris (part 2) which is used in almost every gin made. Yet is is cultivated on only 173 acres worldwide. Stewart writes, "Its popularity in perfume is due to the fact that it not only holds the fragrance in place but clings to the skin as well. It also happens to be a very common allergen, which explains why allergy sufferers might be sensitive to cosmetics and other fragrances - as well as gin."I could write pages more about the great stories and tidbits of information contained in this book. I really had a fun time reading it.The illustrations in "The Drunken Botanist" are fine, but they're stock illustrations. I miss Briony Morrow-Cribbs' and Jonathan Rosen's incredible drawings and engravings that were such enchanting - and vigorous - enhancements to Stewart's previous books, Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects and Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities.Visit Stewart's website,drunkenbotanist comfor links to plant and liquor sources. There are some heritage plants that can only be found in a couple places. and check out Redventure, a type of very slender red celery that is perfect for use as a swizzle stick!Happy Reader

A fun book with some interesting information. Wait till it goes on sale to buy it.