The Essential, New York Times-Bestselling Guide to Botany and Booze

"A book that makes familiar drinks seem new again . . . Through this horticultural lens, a mixed drink becomes a cornucopia of plants."--NPR's Morning Edition

"Amy Stewart has a way of making gardening seem exciting, even a little dangerous." --The New York Times

Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet? In The Drunken Botanist, Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries.

Of all the extraordinary and obscure plants that have been fermented and distilled, a few are dangerous, some are downright bizarre, and one is as ancient as dinosaurs--but each represents a unique cultural contribution to our global drinking traditions and our history.

This fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology, and mixology--with more than fifty drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners--will make you the most popular guest at any cocktail party.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: 03/19/2013
ISBN: 9781616200466
Pages: 381
Weight: 1.70lbs
Size: 8.00h x 6.20w x 1.30d
Award: James Beard Foundation Book Awards - Nominee
Award: IACP Crystal Whisk Award - Finalist

Review Citations: Library Journal 02/15/2013 pg. 116
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2013
Entertainment Weekly 03/29/2013 pg. 79
New York Times Book Review 06/02/2013 pg. 19