toledoblade.com --

You don't have to travel far to get international flavor onto your plate. It can be as close as your home kitchen. To assist, consult some of the new cookbooks with global tastes.

Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition by Gerald Hirigoyen with Lisa Weiss (10 Speed Press, $24.95) is based on 75 authentic California-inspired recipes from the chef's San Francisco restaurants. A native of Basque country (northern Spain on the northern Atlantic) which is home to Spain's innovative tapas tradition, the author features salt cod with piperade on crusty bread, Poor Man's Cassoulet, Serrano Ham Croquettes, and skewers and soups.

The Barcelona Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Wine, and Life by Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer (Andrews McMeel, $29.99) includes recipes from the authors' restaurants. They are owners of one of the biggest Spanish restaurant groups in the United States, with six locations in Connecticut. The cookbook written with Mary Goodbody has 115 signature recipes that highlight bold cocktails, hot and cold tapas, main dishes and party food, and desserts. Barcelona is in the Catalonia region on the Mediterranean Sea. Recipes include sherry-braised short ribs with autumn vegetables, empanadas with smoked pepper sauce, and chicken with pimentos. And, there's paella Barcelona, gazpacho, and white sangria.

Another fascinating culinary tradition is chronicled in Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann with Peter Kaminsky (Artisan, $35). Mr. Mallman trained in French kitchens and is a noted South American chef. This cookbook, which illustrates techniques such as parilla (cooking in a cast-iron grate set over hot coals) and chapa for quick cooking is filled with food that needs only a heat source, whether it's wood, charcoal, or gas. Recipes include skirt steak and fry bread, beef and potato pie, and shrimp with spaetzle. Patagonia Potato Galette and Cremona Bread, which can be found in Italian bakeries all over Argentina, showcase the diverse flavors of Argentina.

Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes by Tessa Kors (Andrews McMeel, $29.99) is a culinary memoir. The author was born to a Finnish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father. When she was 4 the family moved to South Africa. She now lives in Italy. Recipes include fried stuffed herring and cinnamon and cardamom buns. She first tasted Kamut Bread in South Africa, and Prego Rolls is a South African-Portuguese combination.

Aglaia Kermezi in Mediterranean Hot and Spicy (Broadway, $19.95) includes recipes with spices such as mahlep and mastic used in a recipe for Bread Spice Mixture; Eggplants Stuffed with Bulgur and Meat, and Greek Easter Bread Biscotti.

The Scandinavian Cookbook by Trina Hahnemann (Andrews McMeel), $29.99) introduces a light, modern version of Scandinavian home cooking as well as detailed instructions for Danish pastries and butter cookies. Cardamom buns, smoked salmon, and pickled beets with star anise are among the recipes. Traditions of Christmas include doughnuts and glogg, Swedish Lucia breads, and Swedish Christmas hams.

For those who want to master gyoza, spring rolls, and samosas, consult Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen (10 Speed Press, $30). The book jacket says that wrapped, rolled or filled; steamed, fried, or baked, Asian dumplings are easy to prepare. There's Korean Dumpling Soup, pot stickers, and Filipino Chicken and Egg Buns. The author includes information on ingredients as well as illustrations on technique.

Kathie Smith is The Blade's food editor.

Contact her at:
food@theblade.com
or 419-724-6155.