The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks by Amy Stewart
The readers can download The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.
Summary
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).
I found this audiobook to be extremely enlightening and captivating. However, considering the multitude of recipes included, I believe it would have been more suitable as a physical book that readers can purchase.
I have serious doubts about the accuracy of the botanical information provided in this audiobook, and I'm only on chapter 6!
The pronunciation of botanical names is so poorly executed that it becomes quite confusing.
The author claims that botanical names remain constant because they reflect the original botanist who discovered and named the plant. However, in reality, the oldest botanical records are often difficult to access as they are found in old journals and books that haven't been digitized. As these ancient records are discovered, names are updated to reflect the initial nomenclature. Trust me, there are plenty of botanical names undergoing changes, especially when considering the plants in my specific area of expertise, which spans four counties.
While some plants can indeed "migrate," it's not an appropriate term for cultivated apples that have been transported around the world. Migration is better suited to describe plants that have spread through seeds carried by animals, wind, or water. When humans relocate plants, there are more specific terms like cultivated or hybridized.
The narrator does a terrible job when it comes to pronouncing Spanish terms. She manages to correctly pronounce "tequila" but completely butchers "tequilana."
The author's coverage of different Agave species could have been significantly improved. It appears that she either didn't consult or failed to comprehend a reliable reference work on agave species.
I can't help but question how an author who has written numerous books on different plant uses could possibly conduct thorough research on so many plants and topics in such a short period. It makes me skeptical about the accuracy of this audiobook.
It's worth mentioning that I was able to purchase this title at a discounted price through the "service daily deal!"
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