The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks

Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from

agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet? InThe 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.