Nectar of the Gods: From Hera's Hurricane to the Appletini of Discord, 75 Mythical Cocktails to Drink Like a Deity

by Liv Albert, Thea Engst, Sara Richard (Illustrator)

Overview

Sip sweet libations worthy of the Gods with these Greek myth–inspired concoctions based on all your favorite Gods and Goddesses.

Care for Hestia’s Old Fashioned? Want to fall in love with Eros on the Beach? How about the Bacchic Muddled Maenad sangria, topped with a blood orange; or maybe a Labooze of Heracles—made with plenty of strong whiskey?

In Nectar of the Gods, you can sip Greek mythology-themed drinks while you enjoy your favorite ancient tales (or mythological retellings) with this collection of delicious and fun cocktails written by Liv Albert, host of the popular podcast Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!. Now you can discover new creations along with all your favorites and drink like the God or Goddess you know you are.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781507217993
Publisher:	Adams Media
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	196,681
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Liv Albert has a degree in classical civilizations and English literature from Concordia University in Montreal. Liv is the creator, host, and producer of the popular Greek and Roman mythology podcast, Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! where she brings her modern perspective and her education in classical civilizations together to explore Greek myths from a casual, humorous perspective.

Thea Engst is currently a cocktail developer and writer. Thea has spent more than a decade in restaurants delving into cocktail, beer, spirit, and wine knowledge, but most importantly making friends and her own family of skilled restaurant workers, artists, and wonderful human beings. She has been featured on Chronicle and in The Boston Globe, Boston Eater, Boston, and Boston Metro. Her first book Drink Like a Bartender was rated one of the Best Booze Books of 2017 by Forbes. Thea specializes in making and consuming strong and stirred drinks, she reads tarot regularly, and shares a whiskey with her guides every Monday.

Sara Richard is an Eisner and Ringo Award–nominated artist from New Hampshire whose work has been printed in Vanity Fair, British Vogue, and other publications. Her art is inspired by Art Nouveau, Art Deco, funerary imagery, and the natural world. Her creations tend to skew into the macabre and unknown with a balance of sweetness and sentimentality, honoring the Victorian-era theme of Memento Mori. As a native of New Hampshire, Sara grew up surrounded by trees and plenty of wild mushrooms. When not making art or writing, she’s watching horror movies, cleaning forgotten gravestones with her mom, and collecting possibly haunted curiosities from the 19th century. Her online gallery can be found at SaraRichard.com.

Table of Contents

Introduction 10

Part 1 Bar Basics: Kylikes, Kraters, and Kantharoi 12

Variations in Vessels: Where to Put Your Drinks 13

Stocking Your Bacchic Bar 15

Agave Syrup 18

Honey Syrup 18

Cinnamon Syrup 19

Apple Simple Syrup/Candied Apples 19

Dehydrated Citrus Wheels 20

Ginger Syrup 20

Hibiscus Grenadine 21

Lavender Honey Syrup 21

Simple Syrup 22

Strawberry Syrup 22

Sumac Greek Yogurt 22

Thyme Simple Syrup 23

Tools and Equipment to Have On Hand 23

Cocktail Creation Methods 24

It's Time for a Symposium (Party)! 25

Let's Get Mixing 27

Part 2 Indulging with the Olympians 28

Nectar of the Gods 30

Dionyzerac 32

Ouzeus 33

Hera's Hurricane 34

Bright-Eyed Athena 36

Artemesian Moonshine 37

The Cytherean Cocktail 39

Apollo Spritz 40

The Hot Hot Hephaestus 43

The Earth Shaker 44

Highball of Hades 45

Demeter's Bitter Harvest 46

Hermes's Mystical Moly 48

The Thracian God 50

Hestia's Old-Fashioned 51

Part 3 Imbibing with Immortals 52

Gaia's Fuzzy Navel 54

Cosmospolitan 55

Song of the Muses 56

Persephone's Pomegranate Punch 59

Teguila Helios 60

Eros on the Beach 61

Thalassea Breeze 62

Rosy-Fingered Dawn 64

Asclepius's Cure 65

Appletini of Discord 67

Prometheus's Liver 68

The River Styx 71

The Wrath of Amphitrite 72

Minthe Mojito 73

Belli-Nike 74

Calypso's Island Iced Tea 77

Pan's Cup 78

Part 4 Getting Hammered with Heroes 80

The Valor of Atalanta 82

Achilles's Smashed Heel 84

The Trojan Horse 85

Hector's Chariot Sidecar 87

Odysseus's Wine-Dark Sea 88

Agamemnon's Bath Water 90

Snakebite of Philoctetes 92

The Peril of Perseus 93

Amazonian Apricot Sour 95

The Labooze of Heracles 96

Jason's Folly 98

The Crimes of Theseus 99

Bellerophon's Noble Steed 101

The Beautiful Ugly 102

Part 5 Guzzling with the Greeks 104

Pandora's Jar 107

The Muddled Maenad 108

Ariadne's Naxian Escape 111

Danaid Daiquiri 112

The Phaedra Phizz 114

The Flight of Icarus 115

Iphigenia's Revenge 116

Serpent's Kiss 117

The Triumph of Penelope 119

The Midas Mule 120

Corinthian Crown Royal 121

The Queen of Carthage 122

The Symposium 125

Plato's Theory of Atlantis 126

Sappho's Lesbian Libation 128

The Bronze Age Collapse 129

Part 6 Sipping with the Supernatural 130

Circe's Potent Potion 132

Briareus's Brew 134

The Tantalid Curse 135

Breath of the Chimera 137

Bloody Medea 138

Minoan Margarita 141

The Sphinx's Riddle 142

Siren Seduction 145

Rock and a Hard Place 146

Anemoi Breeze 147

Pharmaka 148

Hair of the Three-Headed Dog 151

Tartarus Tipple 152

Index 153

Editorial Reviews

Nectar of the Gods is cheeky, fun, and educational.”

—Rachel Smythe, creator of Lore Olympus

“In Nectar of the Gods, Liv Albert combines classics with cocktails to create a delightful book packed with delectable recipes for drinks worthy of the gods. Each cocktail is tailor-made for the most notable characters of Greek mythology with exquisite attention to detail—so you can learn as you drink (though some of them pack quite a punch, so it’s possible you might need to reread when sober!). Liv writes with wonderful wit and boundless knowledge, and the illustrations by Sara Richard are utterly dazzling. It’s an essential purchase for myth-loving cocktail drinkers everywhere, and a perfect companion to Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook.”

—Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

“Would the ancient Greek gods have drunk cocktails if they had the chance? Liv Albert knows these wily deities very well, and the answer is a resounding yes. Teaming up with Thea Engst, who brings her creative flair for cocktail recipes, and Sara Richard, who draws divine illustrations, ensures this book is a heady experience on the page and by the kylix. A beautiful example of classical reception that combines exploring the stories of the goddesses and gods with a deep sense of fun.”

—Dr. G and Dr. Rad, cohosts of The Partial Historians podcast

“Praise Dionysus! Nectar of the Gods is a stunning treasure! Filled with wit, wisdom, humor, and Albert’s incredible storytelling, this is an unmissable treat for mythology fans. And the cocktail illustrations and recipes will make you want to both frame pages and bookmark them for your next party.”

—Genn McMenemy, co-creator of the Ancient History Fangirl podcast

“Who says a recipe book can’t also be a page-turner? This is both a hilarious sourcebook of Greek mythology and a very inventive cocktail recipe book all in one. The recipes are engaging for both beginner and experienced bartenders, and are sure to impress at any party—not to mention delicious. But the descriptions make this book truly stand out. Written with Albert’s signature humor and depth of expertise, Nectar of the Gods is highly entertaining—with captivating illustrations that make this book very hard to put down.”

—Jenny Williamson, co-creator of the Ancient History Fangirl podcast

“Nectar of the Gods shakes up traditional cocktail books with stunning visuals and delicious deities. For anyone who loves to drink up facts about mythology and mixology, this is a must-add to your library. You just have to decide if it lives in your bookshelves or on your bar cart.”

—Emily Edwards, author and creator of the Fuckbois of Literature podcast

“Liv has once again brought her signature mixture of wit and grace to another volume soaked in Greek myth, providing a much-needed tonic for a world in need of a good stiff drink. What impresses most is her ability to keep every recipe fresher than rosy-fingered dawn arising from her bed, with each page turn providing further delight to each of our earthly senses. The end result is a catalog that Homer himself would be proud of, and a drinks list to make even Dionysus blush. Come for the mythology and stay for the beautiful illustrations that raise your soul to Olympus and beyond. Tonight we drink in Hellas!”

—Ben, of Classical Studies Memes for Hellenistic Teens

“Indulgent is the perfect word to describe this gorgeously illustrated book with cocktails for all palates. The perfect accompaniment for a night in with a good mythology book (or podcast)!”

—Leesa Charlotte, co-creator of the Sweetbitter podcast

“This gorgeously illustrated, delightfully fun book of cocktails is the delicious nectar of the gods itself! Having made Hera’s Hurricane and Bright-Eyed Athena, I cannot wait to try all of the recipes in this beautiful book with my fellow Greek myth–loving friends!”

—Nikita Gill, poet and author of Great Goddesses: Life Lessons from Myths and Monsters

“Legendary cocktail recipes.”

—Bar Business Magazine

"Drink like Dionysus with this new cocktail book."

—Mental Floss

"Rich with wit and tasty concoctions."

—The City Magazine

"This book really has it all...delicious cocktails, entertaining stories about ancient Greece, clever instructions for creating the cocktails, and lovely illustrations. It’s a book that would be a wonderful addition to any home bar or a fabulous gift for any bartender."

—Pamela Kramer

"The most creative cocktail book."

—City Lifestyle Phoenix

From the Publisher