Elixir's Tonics and Teas [Illustrated] (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Hollywood's trendy Elixir tonic bar expands their franchise on herbal refreshment with Elixir's Tonics and Teas, a lustrous, full-color compendium of original recipes and Asian philosophy. Penned by Elixir's owners--Edgar Veytia and former Beverly Hills clothier Jeff Stein--and featuring stunning photographs by Andrew Song, this volume offers up dozens of restorative, calming, and healing tisanes, sodas, and cocktails (as well as soups, stocks, and a porridge), its pages liberally laced with quotations from Lao Tsu to Tennyson; Shakespeare's Othello to MGM's The Wizard of Oz.

Indeed, the Tinseltown connection is often pretty blatant in Elixir's, with respectful retellings of Eastern legends sharing space with "the best post-award-show-party antidote in town." But to dismiss Elixir's Tonics and Teas as an I Ching by way of Trader Vic's would be to ignore its instructional aspects. Appendices brim with advice on choosing and using herbs (the alphabetical glossary, including contraindications for each entry, is particularly valuable), and a list of online and mail-order herbalists and merchants provides a solid resource.

Novices may want to first try a couple of recipes with fewer ingredients; herbal tinctures can be costly, and some entries call for four or five different ones (in addition to freshly juiced vegetables). The Chocolate Mint Relaxer contains chocolate milk, peppermint extract, and a dropper of kava kava; in their Sweet Memory Tea you'll find green tea, Stevia sweetener, and a dropper of gingko biloba. There's even a section on "Sex Tonics," featuring, appropriately enough, a concoction containing Avena sativa (wild oats). Handsome, informative, and glossy as a starlet's eight-by-ten headshot, Elixir's Tonics and Teas, like the subtitle says, comes packed with "invigorating tonics for the mind, body, and spirit." --Tony Mason

Product Description

Since ancient times herbs have been prized for their health-enhancing properties, and the therapeutic benefits of herbs, from kavakava to ginseng and ginko biloba have been embraced by Americans in growing numbers.

At the zenlike oasis of Elixir, West Hollywood’s hottest watering hole, licensed herbalists dispense a tempting array of refreshing smoothies, energizing tonics, and soothing teas that deliver all the benefits of tonic herbs in a most delicious way. In Elixir’s Tonics and Teas, they share their recipes so that everyone can benefit from signature blends like Greet the Day Tea and Yin from the Cold Tonic.

Elixir’s philosophy is to create a comfortable blend of Eastern and Western practices and tastes. Each efficacious blend of herbs is combined with juice and other flavorful ingredients so these smoothies, sodas, and teas, and even cocktails are delightful quaffs that can be enjoyed anytime. Boost your system before a workout with a glass of Energy Today Tonic, or rebalance the body after an illness with Taming the Dragon; prepare your mind to focus with a cup of Brainy Day Chai, or calm yourself after a difficult week with a Steady in Spirit.

Helpful guidelines from Elixir’s trained staff make choosing the right tonic for nourishing mind, body, or spirit simple, and a comprehensive glossary of herbal products takes the guesswork out of using these beneficial plants.

Elixir’s Tonics and Teas is an irresistible introduction to the power of herbal infusions and a toast to general well being.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1 edition (July 24, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609606271
• ISBN-13: 978-0609606278
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #858,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and profound..., September 13, 2001

By	Erin Manasjan (West Hollywood) - See all my reviews

Living in the Los Angeles area, I've been a long-time customer of the Elixir store in West Hollywood. There is no place like it, with licensed herbalists helping customers like me to better understand the power of herbs. I never get sick anymore and I've consumed a thousand tonic beverages at the tonic bar at Elixir. For me, this book is a fabulous window into the world of practical herbalism. I've already tried some of the make-at-home recipes and they're every bit as delicious and healthful as the ones available at the Elixir store. It's clear that the authors didn't hold back on wonderful knowledge that stands behind the success of their store. My family and I are big tonic drinkers now and I'll eventually try every recipe, from soup and spritzer. Great book!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE!, December 4, 2009

By	Debbie Carlson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was a fan of Elixir until this summer, when they stopped filling their orders. A few months ago customer service stopped answering e-mails (they had not filled a $200 order for three months) and then their phone was disconnected. Their website is still up taking orders...but be warned! DON'T ORDER anything because chances are you'll never get it. It's too bad, because the tonics were great and the recipes are fun...yes, I have their book...but a company with shoddy business practices shouldn't be getting good reviews.