Two-Book Thursday: Alcademics Giveaway: Libation by Deirdre Heekin

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Libation: A Bitter Alchemy by Deirdre Heekin

I had hoped to meet author Deirdre Heekin at Tales of the Cocktail, where she was signing copies of the book, but if you've been to the convention you know that plans there don't always go according to plan. Unfortunately I haven't had time to read the book yet, but the description is enticing:

In Libation, a Bitter Alchemy,, a series of linked personal essays, Heekin explores the curious development of her nose and palate, her intuitive education and relationship with wine and spirits, and her arduous attempts to make liqueurs and wine from the fruits of her own land in northern New England. The essays follow her as she unearths ruby-toned wines given up by the ghosts of long-gone wine makers from the red soil of Italy, her adoptive land; as she embarks on a complicated pilgrimage to the home of one of the world’s oldest cocktails, Sazerac, in Katrina-soaked New Orleans; as she attempts a midsummer crafting of a brandy made from inherited roses, the results of an old Sicilian recipe she found in a dusty bookstore in Naples.

Musing on spirits from Campari to alkermes, Heekin’s writing is as intoxicating, rich, and carefully crafted as the wines, liquors, and locales she loves.

It's rare to meet people who write on both wine and spirits, especially in the same book, so I'm excited to see her outlook on things. With (I assume) spirits chapters called Ode to Campari, The Green Hour, Sazerac, and Fiery Particles, there looks to be a fair amount of the hard stuff in the book as a chaser to the wine.

Heekin is a co-owner of a Vermont restaurant for which she produces homemade liqueurs and micro-vintage wines. In this Saveur interview, she tells of her love for Amaro. And here a writer develops a recipe for rose liqueur after reading the book.

If you've read the book, let me know what you think in the comments. And sign up for the Alcademics A-Plus email list for a chance to win a copy.