In conjunction with the book’s release, the mail-order company Territorial Seeds and Oregon wholesale nursery Log House Plants are introducing cocktail-plant collections. “It’s definitely true that a good drink in a nice bar is approaching $20,” she said - a trend that can be attributed to an increased interest in eating (and drinking) seasonal ingredients as well as a revival of old recipes calling for obscure bitters and liqueurs. In modern-day Los Angeles, the price of “hand-crafted” cocktails can rival that of an entree at some restaurants, but according to Stewart, when you understand which herbs, berries and flowers add flavor to a drink, it’s easy enough to grow your own intoxicating ingredients. His farm manager James Anderson grew and harvested the grains on Washington’s land, ground them into flour or meal at his own gristmill, and converted those grains into whiskey to sell to taverns. 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.Did you know, for example, that George Washington is America’s most famous early distiller of rye whiskey? According to Stewart, our first president controlled the entire supply chain.

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. 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. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. “Amy Stewart has a way of making gardening seem exciting, even a little dangerous.” -The New York Times

Through this horticultural lens, a mixed drink becomes a cornucopia of plants.”-NPR's Morning Edition “A book that makes familiar drinks seem new again. The Essential, New York Times–Bestselling Guide to Botany and Booze

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart