
The Drunken Botanist
The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks
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Narrated by:
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Coleen Marlo
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By:
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Amy Stewart
About this listen
Every great drink starts with a plant. Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when medieval physicians boiled juniper berries with wine to treat stomach pain. The Drunken Botanist uncovers the surprising botanical history and fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even a few fungi).
Some of the most extraordinary and obscure plants have been fermented and distilled, and they each represent a unique cultural contribution to global drinking traditions and our history. Molasses was an essential ingredient of American independence when outrage over a mandate to buy British rather than French molasses for New World rum-making helped kindle the American Revolution. Captain James Cook harvested the young, green tips of spruce trees to make a vitamin C-rich beer that cured his crew of scurvy - a recipe that Jane Austen enjoyed so much that she used it as a plot point in Emma.
With over 50 drink recipes, growing tips for gardeners, and advice that carries Stewart's trademark wit, this is the perfect listen for gardeners and cocktail aficionados alike.
©2013 Amy Stewart. Recorded by arrangement with Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc. (P)2013 HighBridge CompanyListeners also enjoyed...
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- An Exploration into the Wonder of Plants
- By: Matt Candeias PhD
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Since his early days of plant restoration, amateur plant scientist Matt Candeias has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection.
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Great book - mediocre narration
- By Brenda Mendoza on 05-15-21
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Bitters
- A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas
- By: Brad Thomas Parsons
- Narrated by: Tom Beyer
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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A cocktail renaissance has swept across the country, inspiring in bartenders and their thirsty patrons a new fascination with the ingredients, techniques, and traditions that make the American cocktail so special. And few ingredients have as rich a history or serve as fundamental a role in our beverage heritage as bitters. Author and bitters enthusiast Brad Thomas Parsons traces the history of the world's most storied elixir, from its earliest "snake oil" days to its near evaporation after Prohibition to its ascension as a beloved ingredient on the contemporary bar scene.
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On Spice
- Advice, Wisdom, and History with a Grain of Saltiness
- By: Caitlin PenzeyMoog
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Every home cook has thoughts on the right and wrong ways to use spices. These beliefs are passed down in family recipes and pronounced by television chefs, but where do such ideas come from? Many are little better than superstition, and most serve only to reinforce a cook's sense of superiority or cover for their insecurities. It doesn't have to be this way. These notes On Spice come from three generations of a family in the spice trade, and dozens upon dozens of their collected spice guides and stories.
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Yummy!
- By amanda j green on 11-17-24
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The Tree Collectors
- Tales of Arboreal Obsession
- By: Amy Stewart
- Narrated by: Jade Wheeler
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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When Amy Stewart discovered a community of tree collectors, she expected to meet horticultural fanatics driven to plant every species of oak or maple. But she also discovered that the urge to collect trees springs from something deeper and more profound: a longing for community, a vision for the future, or a path to healing and reconciliation. In this slyly humorous, informative, often poignant volume, Stewart brings us captivating stories of people who spend their lives in pursuit of rare and wonderful trees and are transformed in the process.
By: Amy Stewart
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The Joy of Mixology (Revised and Updated Edition)
- The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft
- By: Gary Regan
- Narrated by: Alan Turton
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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A thoroughly updated edition of the 2003 classic that home and professional bartenders alike refer to as their cocktail bible. Gary Regan, the most-referenced cocktail expert around (Imbibe), has revised the original edition with many more cocktail recipes and fascinating information on the drink making revival that has popped up in the past decade, confirming once again that this is the only cocktail reference you need. Now for the first time in published in audiobook format, this title includes a supplementary PDF containing hundreds of cocktail recipes.
By: Gary Regan
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The Art of Fermentation
- An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World
- By: Sandor Ellix Katz
- Narrated by: Sean Crisden
- Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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The Art of Fermentation is the most comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself home fermentation ever published. Sandor Ellix Katz presents the concepts and processes behind fermentation in ways that are simple enough to guide listeners through their first experience making sauerkraut, and in-depth enough to provide greater understanding for experienced practitioners. While Katz contextualizes fermentation in terms of biological and cultural evolution, nutrition, and even economics, this is primarily a compendium of practical information.
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Not what I thought
- By Russell Keller on 01-11-19
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History of Wine in 10 Glasses
- By: Paul Wagner
- Narrated by: Paul Wagner
- Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins
- Original Recording
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From the Bible to Benjamin Franklin, from the cuneiform tablets of the ancient Sumerians to the dinner tables of modern bistros, wines have always been a part of civilization, culture, and history. Every country in the world has a special relationship with wine and takes a unique approach to the making, serving, and enjoying of it. Wine is an expression of the hopes, dreams, and cultures of the people who make it, so what better way to learn about the countries of the world than by learning about their wines?
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A most delicious Sunday afternoon
- By Rachael Mayer on 12-21-20
By: Paul Wagner
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History of Bourbon
- By: Ken Albala, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Original Recording
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Is bourbon the quintessential American liquor? Bourbon is not just alcohol - the amber-colored drink is deeply ingrained in American culture and tangled in American history. From the early days of raw corn liquor to the myriad distilleries that have proliferated around the country today, bourbon is a symbol of the United States. This course traces bourbon's entire history, from the 1700s, with Irish, Scottish, and French settlers setting up stills and making distilled spirits in the New World, through today's booming resurgence.
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Expected a lot more about bourbon
- By Wes on 04-14-20
By: Ken Albala, and others
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The Invention of Nature
- Alexander von Humboldt's New World
- By: Andrea Wulf
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was an intrepid explorer and the most famous scientist of his age. His restless life was packed with adventure and discovery, whether climbing the highest volcanoes in the world or racing through anthrax-infested Siberia. He came up with a radical vision of nature, that it was a complex and interconnected global force and did not exist for man's use alone. Ironically, his ideas have become so accepted and widespread that he has been nearly forgotten.
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Poignant origin story
- By Jeremy Fairbanks on 03-03-16
By: Andrea Wulf
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The Book of Cocktail Ratios
- The Surprising Simplicity of Classic Cocktails (Ruhlman's Ratios)
- By: Michael Ruhlman
- Narrated by: Michael Ruhlman
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Did you know that a Gimlet, a Daiquiri, and a Bee’s Knees are the same cocktail? As are a Cosmopolitan, a Margarita, and a Sidecar. When hosting a party wouldn’t you enjoy saying to your guests, “Would you care for a Boulevardier, perhaps, or a Negroni?” These, too, are the same cocktail, substituting one ingredient for another. Or if you’d like to be able to shake up a batch of whiskey sours for a party of eight in fewer than two minutes, then read on.
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Fabulous! Educational and Relaxing
- By D. W. on 10-25-24
By: Michael Ruhlman
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Plant Spirit Medicine
- A Journey into the Healing Wisdom of Plants
- By: Eliot Cowan
- Narrated by: Paul Brion
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Whether you live in a mountain cabin or a city loft, plant spirits present themselves to us everywhere. Since its first edition in 1995, Plant Spirit Medicine has passed among countless audiences drawn to indigenous spirituality and all things alive and green. In this updated edition, Eliot Cowan invites us to discover the healing power of plants - not merely their physical medicinal properties, but the deeper wisdom and gifts that they offer.
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superb content; distracting narrator cadence
- By Doug on 05-08-19
By: Eliot Cowan
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Wicked Bugs
- The Louse That Conquered Napoleon’s Army and Other Diabolical Insects
- By: Amy Stewart
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In this darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world, Stewart has tracked down over one hundred of our worst entomological foes - creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world's most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary powers of many-legged creatures
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bunch of little articles
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-01-11
By: Amy Stewart
What made the experience of listening to The Drunken Botanist the most enjoyable?
The story behind so many herbs and spices that at various times, drove men to extreme measure. Intriguing and beguiling at every turn. In this book you get something worth toasting.What was one of the most memorable moments of The Drunken Botanist?
Realizing the power many countries derived from the control of many herbs. The Dutch in particular, proved to be quite unscrupulous in their drive to control the trade.What about Coleen Marlo’s performance did you like?
I enjoyed Coleen Marlo's performance. She's eloquent and energetic in her delivery.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
This book had lots of surprises and "now way!" moments for me. You see the best and worst in people and the lengths at which they'll go to for the power and wealth that come from botanical gems like nutmeg and vanilla. Things we take for granted today.Any additional comments?
I loved this book. Its packed with all kinds of interesting and surprising facts what could be a rather mundane subject. Amy Stewart puts a lemon twist on this top-shelf cocktail of a book.A fascinating look at Ingredient and their History
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Interesting book, not great for audio
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Incredibly thorough tome
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History thru botony.
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Was The Drunken Botanist worth the listening time?
No, you don't want to listen to this book; you should read it and have the book as a reference book.Better to have the physical book as reference
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A bit too much like an encyclopedia
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So Entertaining
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Narrator is Cleary Microsoft Sam
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Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Coleen Marlo?
Anyone!!Any additional comments?
The reason I could not finish this book was the narrator Coleen Marlo. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard to me and I have instead picked up a hardback copy of the book.I am sure it is just a personal preference but I will make sure in the future not to purchase any more books that she has narrated. Once I have finished reading the book I will give a full review.
Couldn't finish...
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Fortunately I also have this book in hardcover and in digital print (as opposed to Audible) so I can hunt down the foreign words and get translate to give me their pronunciations by recorded native speakers.
I do like the book, but as a high end craft bartender, telling anyone who is a stickler for detail anything I've learned here is going to require that I go back and check everything I hear or read.
Better for the Botany
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