Fiesta! a Celebration of Latin Hospitality

From the first lively page, von Bremzen (Terrific Pacific) makes it clear that ""Cocina Latina"" is fun. She presents her readers with essays on everything from empanadas to the rumba; evocative photographs from the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America and the Spanish Caribbean; and over 200 recipes, all with informative sidebars. Variations on familiar themes include Tropical White Fruit Sangria, Andalusian Gazpacho Dip and Chilled Avocado Soup with Crabmeat Ceviche. Recipes tango from drinks, snacks and soups through several kinds of main courses (Mussels and Clams in Coconut-Sour Orange Broth) on into desserts (Papaya Cake with Lime-Cream Cheese Frosting). A finale section, called ""Fiesta,"" offers recipes for special-occasion meals, including a Roast Suckling Pig, Pork Loin and Apricots with Beer-Mustard Sauce and a Christmas Baked Fish that adds ancho chili to the Yuletide celebration. Though some dishes are complicated or call for hard-to-find ingredients, most are easy to put together and reasonably inexpensive. Von Bremzen's passion for Latin cooking is likely to inspire many a winter-bound home cook. (Nov.)