Bar Chef by Christiaan Röllich

Christiaan Röllich is the celebrated mixologist at Suzanne Goin and Carolyn Stine’s Los Angeles restaurants, so I anticipated a fantastic book even before I opened its pages. (I am the tiniest bit obsessed with Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques.) Bar Chef does not disappoint. Röllich is as inspired by great ingredients as chefs are, and fresh, seasonal fruit and artisanal spirits abound in the drinks. I’ll just go ahead and say that this book is not for beginners, and it will likely require hunting down ingredients, but goodness, are the cocktails worth it! - S.B.