Amy Blackthorn has concocted an ingenious book. More than just a simple recipe book, Blackthorn’s Botanical Brews: Herbal Potions, Magical Teas, and Spirited Libations contains the deep understanding, research, and creative cleverness expected from a well-seasoned witch like Blackthorn. Drawing upon the art of witchery’s traditional concepts, theories, and tools, Amy applies them to the art of crafting drinks in an imaginative and fun way,  transforming ordinary teas, cocktails, and mocktails into powerful potions with formulas that are just as delicious as her insights. This isn’t just another recipe book with magickal intention applied to it. Instead, it’s a full practice of magick in itself. One of the brilliant aspects of this book is that she brings back the spirits to spirits. She examines alcohols and shares their magickal associations and correspondences. Remember that alcohols are made from plants to begin with. As such, she shares the botanical information, plants the spirit is composed of, scent profiles and impacts, element, day, magickal uses, planetary, astrological, crystal, spirits/deities, herbal lore and uses of each alcohol. This is something that I’ve been wanting to see in books for quite some time.

As I touched on, in Blackthorn’s Botanical Brews, she provides a whole system for beverage magick. In it, your kitchen counter or bar cabinet transforms into the altar space, your muddler into the wand, your knife, strippers, and zesters are your athame, your cutting board serves as your pentacle, and your glassware is obviously your chalice. I also love that this book covers teas, especially since Amy is well known in the magickal community, not only for her books, but for her own magickal teas which she sells on her website. Her teas are not only some of the most delicious teas I’ve ever had but also very magickally potent. This is a beautiful hardcover book that belongs in every green witch and kitchen witch’s library and is sure to make the libation part of ritual much more powerful and enjoyable, whether you are looking to use alcoholic drinks or non-alcoholic drinks. This book is sure to lift your spirits. Cheers to Amy on another fantastic book!

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