Anarkia

The Roca family's El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain, appears at or near the top of nearly every survey of the world's best restaurants. Jordi, the youngest of the family's three sons, is the pastry chef there, as renowned for his technical mastery as for his imagination.

Anarkia is Jordi Roca's first pastry book for a professional audience, featuring nearly 100 desserts from El Celler de Can Roca, as well as a small handful of savory dishes which were inspired by innovations in the pastry kitchen. Step-by-step photo sequences for nearly every dessert highlight important techniques for both cooking and assembly. In total there are more than two thousand photographs.

The anarchy referred to in the title might best be thought of as a freedom from boundaries rather than complete chaos. Roca's organization of the book suggests his ability to riff on ingredients, flavors, techniques, or even travel experiences as he creates dishes that have their starting point in everything from a piece of fresh fruit to reflections on childhood memories to a whiff of perfume or a visit to Istanbul.

Gorgeous color photography throughout. Hardcover. 560 pages. In English.