I loved the interplay of recipes and history throughout this book! My favorite cookbooks always tell a story to go with the food, and even if this isn't the most traditional cookbook, it certainly hit the mark! I walked away with a new understanding and appreciation for the art of mixology, and a lot of knowledge about how it fit into its historical era.

Awesome history and great recipes. Funny, I never thought to ask where the word "cocktails" ever came from. This was an interesting read and I really like the way this was written.

Some very good stories and cocktails. I think this book would make a wonderful gift. As we head into the peak of holiday season I can see myself making a few of these cocktails.

It could be more visually appealing, but the charming historical anecdotes that accompany the cocktails are what makes this cocktail book special.

This book felt very all over the place. I wish the author and picked one way of organizing the information and then stuck with it. It also came across as very "name droppy," but the majority of people mentioned were people I don't think most of us would care about. And after a while, even the drink recipes started to feel repetitive.

Gilded Age Cocktails by Cecelia Tichi

176 Pages
Publisher: NYU Press
Release Date: April 27, 2021

Nonfiction, Cooking, Food & Wine, Craft Cocktails

According to the author, the Gilded Age occurred during the period from 1870s to the 1910s. The book is divided into the following chapters.

1. Olympians of the Bar
2. A Chef and a Socialite Suggest
3. To-Go Cup
4. Location, Location, Location
5. Spirited Cities
6. Oh, The Places They Toast!
7. Quaffing Collegians
8. Bubbles
9. “Demon Rum”
10. In Honor of …
11. The Bitter(s) Truth

This book is a step back into the past with unique cocktails. The author provides historical references of flavorings and fruits being transported by railways and ships. I found it interesting that ice was introduced to cocktails during this period. Reading about Jerry Thomas always brings a smile to my face since my husband has the same name and is a cocktail genius.

The cocktails in the book are interesting and I love the use of egg in them. I had been on the hunt for French and Italian vermouth so I can make a few of the drinks mentioned until I realized French was dry and Italian was sweet. In the back is a glossary from the Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar book.

I love the premise of this cocktail book. I am always on the lookout to find new cocktails to try and this book is truly inspired by the classics which I happen to enjoy. I also love reading about the history of cocktails and the famous bars that inspired them in a cookbook/cocktail book as it really inspires me to try something new, or to try something old, once again. Though the pictures are black and white, and I would have loved photos, they are in keeping with the time period of the Gilded Age. The steps are clear and easy to follow so long as you have everything you need on hand. For lovers of history, and a good drink, this book will tick all of the boxes. Thank you to NetGalley and NYU Press for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook! I love everything about this time period and now I have these amazing drink recipes to try! Such an informative book! I will be going back to this book over and over.

Gilded Age of Cocktails is a nice book to have on your shelf if you are a fan of cocktails or the gilded era or both! This book is a nice mix of history and recipes that are not intimidating and can be easily replicated at home. I had a blast reading it and look forward to trying out the drinks!

Nicely informative book of cocktails from the Gilded Age, appreciated the history and “origin story” of each drink. Many contain obscure ingredients that most people would be unlikely to just have on hand, but nearly all sounded delicious.

Delighted to include this title in High Society, the aristocrats, royals, and rich-lovers list in my thematic seasonal holiday gift books guides for Zoomer magazine. It appeared in the Books section in December. (The listicle feature is online at related link.)

Fans of the guilded age should definitely put this book on your shelf. There are cocktail recipes galore, but even teetotalers will enjoy the history catalogued on this tome! Cheers!

Gilded Age Cocktails is an interesting exploration of cocktail history. It explores unique recipes, ingredients and the craft of creating delicious drinks. It's unique in looking at a time in history most mixology books don't even acknowledge. Gilded Age Cocktails is a great addition to any bar library.

Cool to find out a bit about cocktails, with some great recipes as well. There is something for everyone.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. It is a wonderful good of cocktails. They make my think of the art that is mixing cocktails. It makes me things of speakeasies, bars of the gold age and a lot of good times that have happened and those to come. Another nice touch to the book are the pencil drawing of ingredients and cocktails. It just added a little extra something to the experience. The recipes were easy to fall and makes the drinks the same each time.

This book was just fine. I would recommend this book only if you are very interested in the era. There are fascinating stories about each featured cocktail, but if you are new to making cocktails, you will be very lost, as it does not do a great job of explaining technique.

Great Book.

Never thought about the history behind the cocktails that we drink, but it was all really interesting. I have also already made some of the ones that I read about - also keen to try some of the out oft he ordinary ones that I read about.

Thank you

An absolute must read for any cocktail enthusiast out there!

As someone with a strong interest in both cocktails and history, this book perfectly melded the two together to give you the history of cocktail drinking, as well as the actual cocktails themselves.

The recipes within the book were extremely interesting (some wildly complicated - have to hand it to the bartenders of yesteryear for the patients in making some of these beverages!) and unique.

I truly enjoyed every second of this book as it goes beyond a recipe book into the territory of telling an actual story of the history behind the recipes.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. These opinions are my own!

The one book everybody needs in the library about cocktails. The narrative is all precise, illustrated by quotes and anedoctes, and of course, there are the recipes !
I learnt a lot how the culture is mixed with the development of cocktails, not just about social habits, but also about the economic context.
I have already recommended this book and will systematically, since cocktails are in fashion again !
All opinions are mine, I received a copy from NetGalley

This was really cute, though it is a book I'd have probably preferred in physical form. I'd expected a book with only cocktail recipes, but I that it also wove in history. As we're in the 20s again and a sort of new tech-centric gilded age, it was certainly a satisfying, relaxed little read. Pour yourself a gimlet and get reading!