The Aviary Cocktail Book

Got this as a gift for a loved one for Christmas. The book is absolutely gorgeous and you can tell it was painstakingly put together. The photos are absolutely stunning and the recipes very very unique. It's a well made book, high quality binding, cover and pages. Full color photos on near every single page. Stories behind drinks. It's very specialized, meaning that for a lot of the drinks you'll need to get some special equipment, or you'll have to go through multiple steps to create the drink...tho in my opinion that's part of the fun of it. Not all drinks do you need anything special tho, but time and patience. We can't wait to try some of these drinks out. Perfect coffee table book that also has some wild concoctions to make!

This is one of those food and beverage books that warrants visible placement in your home. Not only is the book elegantly bound and easy to match with many decor schemes, but it's nice to be able to page through it from time to time. The recipes inside might feel inaccessible to some, but they're really great for inspiration even if you don't directly follow them. The authors have exercised incredible care in composing balanced, creative beverages, and any one of them is sure to impress (or make you feel like you're treating yourself).

Large, great photos, interesting recipes. Excellent coffee table book.

This book is beautiful, with inspiring pictures and great cocktails you can try your hand at if you have the courage. I was not disappointed as some other reviewers because I already had the majority of basic tools in my kitchen, though some will be out of range for anyone but a high end restaurant/lounge. With that said I was looking for a challenge and found it. **Also, as a note, to those that are complaining about it not coming with the custom box, as you may have seen on social media... There are two versions of this book, this is the standard hardcover edition. It is the reserve edition that comes with the box to keep the book in and is the version that has been shown on social media, it is also more expensive. Just an FYI

This is an extraordinary gift of craft, beauty, and functionality especially for anyone who loves crafting their cocktails and expanding that skill and passion to the next level. I bought this for my father for his 84th birthday. He hasn’t put it too far away since then. One of the best special gifts for someone special or to buy for yourself as a special treat, if you enjoy the art extraordinary drink making.

As others have mentioned, this is pretty heavy on molecular gastronomy with equipment, ingredients, and methods generally beyond the home bartender/oncologist. However, it is absolutely beautiful and will have a semi-permanent place on the coffee table. While the recipes likely won't be followed perfectly, some methods will be used and inspiration will be taken from it. Unfortunately, it arrived with a dent in one of the covers, likely from packaging or rough handling in the warehouse. Considering this isn't a fault of the product, 5 stars still.

I was recommended The Aviary by a friend, so I didn't think twice before purchasing it. Many of the recipes in this book require specific equipment ranging from $300 to somewhere in the thousands, or else they require a lot of time invested in order to prep each ingredient for your chosen drink. These are complex art pieces, not casual party tricks. (And for this, I understand why my friend suggested it to me.) That being said, the book itself is a work of art filled with many more works of art. There are simpler cocktails---albeit still asking the reader to step it up with insane presentations---which translate very well into the casual side of bartending. If you forgo their insane presentations and just stick with the measured ingredients you will still create drinks worth your while. In regards to the complex, equipment-reliant cocktails... Let's just say those who have gained access to the equipment needed to make the complex drinks are the kind who don't frown at a good challenge. You may see what I mean if you get this book for yourself. 4-stars because I'm a noob and half of these recipes are impossible for me to make until I become a bartender in the John Wick universe. I mean, I'll work my way up, but dang! The book was shipped very safely, and I'm grateful. It has one scratch on the back cover but I can tell it was not from being made vulnerable during transit (it's a used product, so a scratch is no big deal).

In purchasing the book, I was really excited to try to make a few at home. However, what I came to realize is that the book and recipes were released to the public because you're very unlikely to spend the effort and energy to make these cocktails. "We're happy to share because you'll never do it." And even though, what I thought i'd be getting was different, this book is still worth every penny. The photography is amazing and constantly has visitors leafing through the pages, amazed.

une bible pour les rituels de service et des idées innovantes