Before I turned my hand at horticulture I wanted to be a writer (and for some reason a lawyer). As a child I would make up and write down many elaborate stories utilising the wilds of my imagination. I loved reading and still do to this day. I never quite made it to the best sellers lists but I do have my blog.
I also thought it would be a cool job to review music, movies and books. Didn't quite make it there either, but you know what? I am going to give it a try now. I recently read a very fascinating book called The Drunken Botanist written by Amy Stewart who is an award winning author who has written six books, all based on the wonderful world of plants.
Immediately this book appealed to me because it contains two of my favourite things - plants and alcohol. My thoughtful partner bought if for me as a gift and I was excited to get straight into it, the cover itself was enough for me to see what lies beneath.
Even the books conception is an interesting one: a couple of plant lovers (one of them the author) at a garden writers convention in Portland, Oregon who struck up a conversation about a bottle of gin, but honestly, how many great conversations and ideas have been conceived this way?
It seems that worldwide there's not a tree, shrub, fruit, flower, herb or vegetable that hasn't been harvested for use in an alcoholic beverage. You just have to think about the many wonderous flavours our plants give us for cooking to get an understanding of how far the influence of plants have had on society on a global scale.
The book reads like a cocktail recipe: one part 'how to' plant guide, one part cocktail recipe book and two parts fun facts about how the plants and booze came together. It is an easy to read book, introducing you to many basic concepts of cocktail making, the tools of the trade and it is separated into types of plants and how they influence alcohol production and flavouring.
The Drunken Botanist starts out by explaining the basic terms and definitions about all things cocktails, service sizes, mixers, equipment etc and then begins with the classic cocktails, more specifically the plants that have influenced these classic cocktails.
Of course brewing, fermenting & distilling practices aren't a new thing, these practices have gone on for thousands of years. It seems our forefathers needed a means to unwind and relax after a stressful day even back in the day.
Throughout the pages of this book you will get a fairly concise history of how various forms of alcohol came to be, from the accidental to the laborious ways our favourite drinks came into being, such as the much loved (and sometimes loathed) Tequila.
Tequila is a very well know and popular spirit, by itself or in the classic Margarita. It has a very long history. It is made from several different types of Agave sp. the species can dictate what it's legally able to be called. Many people think of the desert and cacti when they think of Agave but they are more related to Asparagus.
As the popularity of Tequila has grown, the need for protecting the plants that produce this spirit, especially the species that create the more traditional and legally recognised varieties. By harvesting plants before maturation, in many cases it takes away the ability of the plant to reproduce, therefore diminishing the wild populations.
DID YOU KNOW? Much like Champagne can only be called as such if it's produced in that region, the Mezcal form of Tequila can only be called such if it is produced in the city of Oaxaca (and the neighbouring state of Guerrero), this is law in Mexico.
Grasses (Poaceae) are the fifth largest plant family and the most important economically wordwide. So it makes sense that they have such an influence in alcohol production. They are generally the base for fermentation in such popular drinks as beer, bourbon, gin, whiskey and Vodka.
Plants such as Barley, Corn, Rice and Wheat are all significant players in the production of the worlds top selling types of booze. Aged Single Malt Whiskey and Gin have had a resurgence in the last few years, becoming a popular drink for the younger generation, no longer drinks for the stuffy, snooty upper class The former being so popular that reserves of aged whiskey are reducing quicker than they can be replenished, therefore pushing up the prices.
You only have to go to the hip city bars to see the confusing selection of alcohol that have been produced thanks to the mighty grass family of plants.
Rum is another spirit, made from Sugar Cane, that has re-gained some popularity in recent times. For many years thought of as the drink choice for pirates and sea captains, it now has many variants that bind well with assorted mixers and cocktail recipes.
DID YOU KNOW? Rum was certainly the drink of choice for sailors. Prior to Rum, sailors with given beer but beer had a short shelf life and spoilt quickly on long voyages. Sailors were instead given one pint of rum per day, mostly consumed in one sitting! Great for morale, not so great if you wanted your crew to work.
The Navy decided to dilute the rum ration and give the crew two rations per day. Sailors thought something was up and demanded proof that they were getting what they were entitled to. A method of mixing the rum with gun powder was developed - if the the concoction ignited, there was enough alcohol (approx. 57%) if not, well the navy would have a rebellion on it's hands! This is where we get the term 'proof' from when describing alcohol content.
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| Step right up! Long lines for the Rum rations |
This book is also full of very interesting info regarding how plants influenced the navigation of colonies seeking and founding new lands and influencing trade structure and relations. Amy Stewart shows in many instances how plants are a never ending source of wonder, encouraging you to discover the next amazing piece of trivia throughout the book.
This book reads with seamless ease, with enough tips, recipes and plant facts to keep the pages turning. I assure you it won't take very long to get into this book. Within no time you'll start to appreciate and applaud the plant world for all the wonderful additions they have made to your liquor cabinet or how the local bar tender mixes your next drink.
So if you're looking for a gift that that I think is a universal fit for most, especially the inspiring drink mixologist in your life, I suggest checking out The Drunken Botanist and maybe grab a copy for yourself, just add your favourite drink and enjoy!
