Spain

Food writer Koehler instructs early on in this hearty collection of over 150 recipes that, “first and foremost, Spanish cuisine is regional.” While the 16 chapters are organized by food type rather than locale, nearly every entry discusses the dishes provenance from within the 200,000 square miles of Spain, be it the seaside, the Sierra Nevada, or the Pyrenees mountains. White gazpacho with grapes belongs to a Mediterranean coastal city, monkfish steaks with saffron are from the deep south and roast shoulder of kid goat is a treat from the area around Madrid. A tasty section on tapas covers classics like dates wrapped in bacon, as well as more intense options, such as Galician octopus with paprika on potatoes. Koehler notes that the country’s cuisine is indeed so diverse that there exists only one dish that is common to all regions: cocido, a soup, pasta, root vegetable and meat concoction served in two courses. In addition to the food itself, Koehler explores a variety of the country’s food-related traditions, the oddest of which must surely be Tio de Nadal, a Christmas log that conceals candy. (Nov.)