In Racing to the Table, author Margaret Guthrie invites readers to experience the regional delights associated with racetracks across the country. She has garnered recipes from owners, breeders, restaurants frequented by post-race crowds, and racetrack kitchens, from Pimlico crab cakes to Kentucky burgoo. It's a collection that would inspire even the meekest cooks.

Along the way, she weaves the florid regional histories of the racetracks and the fare with delectable recipes for all tastes and cooking skills. Colorful and historic photos of the tracks and famous horses add spice to the mix and make for a recipe book that combines a nostalgic flavor with delicious food.

Anyone who has visited Siro's in Saratoga Springs, New York, after a day at the track will be taken back there with the restaurant's recipe for Roasted Rack of Lamb. The Barbecued Meatballs will remind readers of tailgating in Aiken, South Carolina, during the races. And for those who have never visited these locales, the food in this book will inspire you to go.

What racing fan hasn't dreamed of eating Chicken-Sausage Gumbo or Slow-Roasted Duck after a day at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana Guthrie's culinary tour also encompasses California's Del Mar, Kentucky's Keeneland and Churchill Downs, and New York's Belmont Park. Chicago and Miami also are on the tour.