About the Book
For cocktail enthusiasts, herbalists, foragers, and bartenders, Botanical Bar Craft serves up original, spirited recipes and invaluable plant knowledge, inspired by adventures in the garden and forest.
In Botanical Bar Craft, innovative herbalist and mixologist Cassandra Sears invites readers to create herbal elixirs and apothecary cocktails infused by a close connection to nature. Whether in the garden, the field, or the forest, Sears finds generous abundance among the plants. Her tonic libations harness the power of phytochemistry and place-based consciousness while easing stress and comforting the body, mind, and spirit. With original recipes that tie together the creative arts of herbal medicine and craft cocktail making, Sears blends herbal tinctures, teas, and botanical infusions into modern-classic cocktails as well as sensational and unique nonalcoholic drinks that hit the spot for relaxation without sedation.
More than just a collection of recipes, Botanical Bar Craft is also an herbal handbook for bartenders and a mixology guide for herbalists. Readers will delight in the journey as Sears combines dashes of herbal lore and history with instructions for developing the spirited philosophy of apothecary bartending, lessons on mixology, and a primer on the beneficial actions of medicinal herbs.
Inside Botanical Bar Craft, you'll also find:
65 original recipes for potions, tonics, elixirs, and cocktails, including Kava Cacao Flip, Pregnancy Punch, Victory Garden, Bloody Botanist, Bitters and Soda, Juice of Life, and Euphoria.
More than 40 plant profiles that include how those plants grow and suggestions for how to use them behind the bar to draw out their beneficial actions.
An accessible explanation of the chemistry and energetics of medicinal herbs.
Behind-the-scenes interviews with artisan distillers.
Advice and tips for growing a garnish garden.
This book will not only appeal to herbalists, herbal enthusiasts, and home cocktail enthusiasts, but also to professional bartenders looking to embrace the use of innovative and highly flavorful natural ingredients in their bar creations. Botanical Bar Craft provides all the answers for those who are curious and wondering how to make a really good drink inspired by and infused with plants.
"Unique among cocktail books--it helps readers reconnect their creative selves with the natural environment and healing plants. . . [Sears] equips you with the proper bar techniques to harness the power and fleeting beauty of your surroundings."--Brian Catapang, bar director and co-owner at Magnus on Water
About the Author :
Cassandra Elizabeth Sears is an apothecary bartender, gardener, and herbalist. She has been studying herbal medicine for sixteen years, growing lush gardens while working as an organic gardener, and playing in the wild while mixing drinks inspired by nature. She enjoys the dynamic intersection of the hospitality industry, wilderness, and organic agriculture in her native state of Maine. You can find her behind the bar part-time at The White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport. The rest of the time, you can find her elevating private events and teaching botanical cocktail classes in her role as proprietor of The Remedy Cocktail Co., for which she grows her own ingredients and works closely with local small farmers. She enjoys creative collaborations and brand ambassador work with likeminded businesses, as well as creative menu design and consulting for new ventures. A graduate of the clinical herbalist training program at the Vermont Center of Integrative Herbalism, she has a modest apothecary and private wellness consultation practice where she partners with individuals for health-coaching
Review :
"Botanical Bar Craft is a deeply thorough, well-informed, and tremendously inspired guide to creating herbal beverages for professionals and anyone interested in infusing their imbibing with a bit more nature. From comprehensive herbal-ingredient profiles to recipes that push and blend the boundaries between cocktails and mocktails, this book will be well used and much beloved by its readers!"
--Rachelle Robinett, RH (AHG); writer, artist, and naturalist; author of Naturally
"As a Black woman herbalist and herb farmer, I experience the connection between nature and nourishment as more than just a profession--it's a legacy. Cassandra Elizabeth Sears's Botanical Bar Craft is a beautiful reminder that plants are not only a source of sustenance but also of creativity, community, and healing. This book reclaims our ancestral relationship with herbs, blending the artistry of mixology with the deep wisdom of the land. Each recipe feels like a celebration of our power to heal and thrive through the gifts of the earth. For those who understand that growing herbs is an act of resistance and resilience, Botanical Bar Craft is a vibrant affirmation of our roots, both in the ground and in our hearts."
--Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley, herb farmer; founder, Green Heffa Farms
"Cassandra Sears is one of those herbalists who can confidently say, 'Plants chose me.' Her work beautifully captures the seductive intersection of beauty, plants, and playfulness with flavors and botanical effects that come alive in social gatherings. Her plant monographs include both folklore and chemistry and are sure to inspire your creative play with plants, an intention of all great herbalists!"
--Jane Hawley Stevens, author of The Celestial Garden; founder, Four Elements Organic Herbals
"Ceremonial elixirs and wild plant beverages can be sacred additions to the ritual of socializing. Cassandra unites her bartending background with inspiration from nature in her valuable guidebook, Botanical Bar Craft, creating wild and magical cocktails with nature's wisdom woven into the blends."
--Katrina Blair, author of The Wild Wisdom of Weeds
"In this beautiful and creative book, Cassandra weaves together the time-honored art of making cocktails with a fresh approach to incorporating botanicals for drinks that build wellness and taste delicious! A feast for the senses, her recipes include a deep dive into seasonal elixirs and herbal tonics as well as the foundational practices of mixology. Whether you are new to bar craft or a seasoned mixologist, there is something in this book for everyone. Raising a glass in celebration for Botanical Bar Craft--can't wait to try all these fabulous recipes!"
--Jeff and Melanie Carpenter, authors of The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer; owners, Zack Woods Herb Farm
