The Alchemist's Kitchen: Extraordinary Potions & Curious Notions (Wooden Books)

i bought this as a gift for my husband, and i guess i thought it was just going to be a cute little picture book, but it is actually packed with information and the illustrations are amazing! Not only does it NOT just skim the surface, it provides many examples for further research. This was a great purchase at a great price!

I couldn't praise this little book enough if I wrote another book about its virtues. The only problem with it that I have is that it is over too quick and the fact that this piece is meant to be little more than a coffee table book is to be taken into consideration, but due to the price and the quality of the information I feel confident in my choice to make a glowing review for this book. It is a brilliant summary of the lesser working as Plant Alchemy has been called. Yes there have been more complete introductions to practical Spagyria (Plant Alchemy) and there have been better books written on the theories of alchemy but this book has gems not found in any of the other books I've read on the subject. Need to collect Angel Water (morning dew, especially collected in Spring) for an operation such as distilling the Archeus of water? Turn to page 30 for instructions on how to produce a hygroscopic plant salt from oak bark. Want to know how to make charcoal for heating? Turn to page 52. This little book even has a skeletal description of the process of producing "Bhasmas", an Indian spagyric medicinal product which alchemically bridges the vegetable and mineral kingdoms! This book has all this and is beautifully illustrated to boot. An excellent notebook for beginners, informative and attractive. These Books would be excellent primers for the aspiring Alchemist: The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy: An Herbalist's Guide to Preparing Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs Path of Alchemy: Energetic Healing & the World of Natural Magic (Pathways to Enlightenment) Alchemists Handbook: (Manual for Practical Laboratory Alchemy

This is an excellant little book. Very nice paper and illustrations. It is more of a concise introduction. Would definately consult a chemistry manual if you are planning to conduct any of the distillations. But, all and all very nice. I actually purchased it as a gift for my mother, but I did read it first.

I have most of the books in this series and this is my current favorite. It's filled with interesting information and is a great quick read. Don't be thinking you'll be the next Alchemist on your block, it's more for entertainment than practicality, but it's a fun read none the less.