Book review: Spa Water…A Guide to Creating World Class Spa Waters at Home

It’s 10:00 on Saturday night and I’m fighting off the urge to rush to the supermarket.  When I give up on that idea, I begin searching online for any Sunday morning farmer’s market within a 20-mile radius of my home.  I’ve just read Pam Wenzel’s new book, Spa Water: A Guide to Creating World Class Spa Water at Home, and I’m motivated to rapidly snap up fresh produce: citrus fruits, bright berries, crisp cucumbers and fresh herbs.

I’m among the minority who loves to read cookbooks cover to cover, much like one would read a novel.  Pam’s book is neither cookbook nor work of fiction, but I curled up in my favorite chair to read it nonetheless.  I found myself being drawn to page after page of stunning, life size artful displays of the most inviting water you’ve ever seen.

Pam wasn’t born with a passion for flavorful, hydrating water.  During a trip to the Hyatt Tamaya in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pam noticed her husband couldn’t get enough of the elegantly served water in the guest lobby.  It was this pivotal moment that set her off on a quest to offer flavorful, vitamin-infused water to her family as an option to other, less healthful beverages.  Little did she know that her quest to quench her families thirst would lead to authoring a book, and in the process to support a charity that is near and dear to her personally:  the Love/Avon Army of Women.

Pam tested over one hundred spa water recipes from award-winning spas from around the world before settling on the twenty-two that would become part of Spa Water.  What I love about this book, even more than the vibrant fruitful images, is the Complimentary Recipe that accompanies each infusion.  Finally, an idea to avoid the typical waste associated with fruit and herb infused water.  Pam gives you ideas and full recipes for making vinaigrette’s, sauces and salsas just by removing the ingredients from the water and pureeing or mixing them with a few other ingredients; and voila, dinner!

I’d be hard pressed to pick the recipe I found most appealing:  Was it the Raspberry Mist from Tamaya Mist Spa at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in New Mexico (raspberries and limes) or was it Strawberries and Peaches from The Westin Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta in Mexico?  Who knew, I just wanted to try them all!

While Spa Water had me trying some of the printed recipes from the world-class spas featured in the book, I was inspired to mix up some my own infusions.   Sometimes by necessity (I didn’t have all the ingredients) and other times by choice (I omitted ingredients based on taste preferences).  I attempted a cucumber and lime variation that was very refreshing, and the cucumbers stayed surprisingly crisp in the water.  I didn’t love mixing grapefruit with oranges – not enough sweetness to contrast the slightly bitter fall produce.  My favorite blend was the mixed berry and peaches, although I couldn’t re-use the fruit for any recipes because all the flavoring, color and sweetness were left behind in the water.

If you ever tire of using the book for the tempting recipes of its namesake, it’s a gorgeous addition to any coffee table or bookshelf, all 11 x 13 glossy inches of it. 

To learn more about the author, Pam Wenzel, click here.

For more Information about Spa Water, please contact the author at pam@myspawater.com.  You can also order a copy of the book, a water bottle or Berry Essential Spa Water drops at http://www.myspawaterbook.com/.

As is common in the industry, the author was given a complimentary copy of the Spa Water Book, a Spa Water Bottle and Berry Essential Spa Water drops to enjoy and to use for purposes of writing this review.  While this has not influenced this review, Examiner.com believes in full disclosure.