Culinary Travels

Gastón Acurio’s Peru: The Cookbook is a landmark celebration of one of the world’s most dynamic cuisines. With over 500 recipes, it captures the diversity of Peru’s culinary heritage, from coastal ceviches to Andean stews and Amazonian specialties. Acurio contextualizes the dishes with cultural background, ensuring readers understand their origins and significance. The book is expansive yet approachable, designed for both home cooks and culinary adventurers. It’s as much a cultural document as it is a recipe collection, reflecting Peru’s blend of indigenous traditions and global influences.

Steven Raichlen’s The Barbecue! Bible is an encyclopedic celebration of grilling traditions from around the world. With over 500 recipes, it ranges from American barbecue to Middle Eastern kebabs, Latin American asados, and Asian skewers. Raichlen combines practical tips with cultural insight, making it as informative as it is appetizing. His enthusiasm for global grilling traditions is infectious, and the variety ensures something for every palate. It’s both a reference book and an invitation to explore fire-cooked food across continents.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Simple brings his signature flavors into weeknight cooking without compromising on taste. The recipes are pared back but still vibrant, focusing on accessible ingredients and streamlined techniques. Ottolenghi proves that bold, Mediterranean-inspired cooking doesn’t need to be complicated. Each dish bursts with color and freshness, encouraging home cooks to experiment with new spices and textures. The book balances practicality with flair, making it a staple for anyone who loves to cook but has limited time.

Zoe Adjonyoh’s Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen introduces readers to Ghanaian flavors with bold recipes and personal passion. Combining tradition with modern twists, the book reflects Adjonyoh’s journey of rediscovery and her mission to share West African cuisine. The recipes are vibrant, from jollof rice to spiced stews, and are designed to be approachable for home cooks. Adjonyoh’s voice is energetic and inviting, making the book both a cultural introduction and a joyful culinary experience. It’s an important addition to the global food conversation.

Uyen Luu’s cookbook demystifies Vietnamese cooking for the home kitchen. She shares recipes that are both traditional and adapted for everyday cooking, focusing on fresh herbs, balance, and accessibility. Luu’s personal stories enrich the recipes, offering cultural context alongside practical guidance. From noodle soups to family-style dishes, the book captures the vibrancy of Vietnamese food. It’s a welcoming introduction for beginners and an inspiring resource for seasoned cooks alike.

Leandro Carreira’s Portugal: The Cookbook is an expansive collection that captures the depth and variety of Portuguese cuisine. From rustic soups to seafood stews and pastries, the book highlights regional diversity and timeless traditions. Carreira situates recipes in their cultural and historical context, offering readers more than just instructions. The photography and design enhance the sense of place, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. It’s a must for anyone eager to explore Portugal’s culinary identity.

Actor and food lover Stanley Tucci shares his family recipes in The Tucci Cookbook. The book is warm, personal, and filled with Italian-American classics alongside anecdotes from Tucci’s life. It balances practical cooking advice with storytelling, making it as enjoyable to read as it is to cook from. Tucci’s enthusiasm for food and family comes through in every recipe, creating a sense of intimacy. It’s part memoir, part cookbook, and entirely heartfelt, appealing to both fans of Tucci and lovers of Italian food.

Elizabeth Andoh’s Washoku is a definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Japanese home cooking. The book emphasizes harmony and balance, both in flavor and presentation. Andoh introduces readers to essential ingredients and techniques, providing context that deepens appreciation for the cuisine. Recipes are detailed yet approachable, allowing cooks outside Japan to recreate authentic dishes. Beyond the recipes, the book conveys a way of life, where cooking is mindful and connected to tradition. It’s both practical and deeply cultural.

Saiphin Moore’s Rosa’s Thai Cafe brings the vibrant flavors of her London restaurants into the home kitchen. The book offers a mix of authentic Thai classics and modern interpretations, all explained with clarity and warmth. Moore highlights key ingredients and shares personal stories, grounding the recipes in her own culinary journey from Thailand to the UK. The result is approachable Thai cooking that retains depth and authenticity. It’s a book for both fans of her restaurants and anyone eager to explore Thai cuisine at home.

Niki Segnit’s Lateral Cooking is not just a cookbook but a culinary philosophy. Building on her earlier The Flavour Thesaurus, Segnit shows how recipes are interconnected, teaching readers to improvise by following threads across techniques and ingredients. The book encourages creativity, breaking down barriers between cuisines and helping cooks develop intuition. Each chapter begins with a foundational recipe, then demonstrates how it can evolve into countless variations. It’s an empowering guide for those who want to move beyond strict instructions and cook with confidence and curiosity.