It's All American Food
By David Rosengarten 

     Whether you consider America a "melting pot" or a "salad bowl," you'll find the perfect recipe in It's All American Food. Mr. Rosengarten includes gastronomical delights for 18 ethnicities, 14 regions, plus 7 categories of Classic America cuisine. Each section, as well as each recipe, begins with an informational tidbit, often laced with humor, as is the introduction.

     In the mood for Italian? The recipes for homemade ravioli and Focaccia are in here. Quiere paella? Esta aqui! Hungry for crab cakes, but Maryland is too far away? Just grab this book and make them. Want to spice up your life? Try Dirty Down-Home Cajun Shrimp Boil. How about something different for Thanksgiving? Put Two-stage Roast Turkey with Southwestern Honey-Pepper Rub on the menu. And for an exotic dessert: Malasadas (Portuguese-Hawaiian doughnuts) filled with coconut cream. Looking for something a bit more decadent? Bourbon, Chocolate, and Walnut Pecan Pie should fit the bill.

     The only drawback is the lack of listings for individual recipes: To find the recipe for Pierogis, you need to know they're a Mittel European Food. Get lots of bookmarks, or you'll be dog-earring a lot of pages.