New Orleans is known for its spirit(s)-driven festivities. From the owner of local bar Cure, this cocktail book celebrates New Orleans’ vibrant, living cocktail culture. As a bar guy, Neal Bodenheimer tells the city’s story through 100 cocktails, each chosen to represent New Orleans’ past, present, and future.

In the vein of Death & Co by David Kaplan crossed with David Lebowitz’s Drinking French, Bodenheimer and coauthor Emily Timberlake have composed a love letter to New Orleans and the cast of characters that have had a hand in making the city so singular, featuring interviews with figures such as the host of NPR’s Louisiana Eats and former mayor Mitch Landrieu and a few tips on how to survive your first Mardi Gras.

Along the way, the reader is taken on a journey that highlights the rich history and complexity of the city and the drinks it inspired, as well as the techniques and practices that Cure has perfected in their mission to build forward rather than just looking back. Of course, this includes the classics every self-respecting drinker should know, especially if you’re a New Orleanian: the Sazerac, Julep, Vieux Carre, Ramos Gin Fizz, Cocktail a la Louisiane, and French 75. Famous local chefs have contributed easy recipes for snacks with local flavor, perfect for pairing with these libations.

Cure: A New Orleans Cocktail Book is a beautiful keepsake for anyone who has fallen under New Orleans’s spell and a must-have souvenir for the millions of people who visit the city each year. The book includes recipes from beloved New Orleans chefs:

Justin Devillier (La Petite Grocery), Nina Compton (Compere Lapin), Mason Hereford (Turkey and the Wolf) Kelly Fields (Willa Jean), Kristen Essig (Dauphine’s), Ryan Prewitt (Peche), Marcus Jacobs (Marjie’s Grill), Michael Stoltzfus (Coquette), Frank Brigtsen (Brigtsen’s), Alfredo Nogueira (Cure, Cane & Table, Vals)