Chicken noodle soup becomes Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup with Fresh Herbs; beef stew, African Beef and Kale Stew with Pumpkin Seed Sauce; and rice pudding, Asian Black Rice Pudding. The taste difference is all in the local herbs and spices, not in the basic ingredients or cooking techniques. The resulting dishes are tantalizingly familiar yet enticingly exotic, with flavor combinations that make each recipe a delicious adventure into another cuisine.

Many of these recipes are suited to our hectic pace. They are prepared in one pot or skillet and can often be left unattended while simmering. Beginning cooks can use the book with ease, while experienced cooks will find new variations in familiar themes to expand their repertoires.