This fascinating book connects the food of far-flung islands, exploring the connections and distinctions which characterize islands like Puerto Rico and Curacao, Madagascar and the Seychelles, Guam and Vanuatu.
Puerto-Rican born author Von Diaz does more than simply present an array of recipes. Looking at the way the cooks adapt and employ techniques and ingredients, she highlights the complex cultural legacies which introduced foods, and sometimes enslaved people, from around the world.
Through her focus on cooking methods common to all the islands, Diaz emphasizes everyday dishes which may not be what tourists are most familiar with. While it's possible to find recipes for such foods with their focus on seafood and tropical fruit, Islas reveals the importance of “earthiness, richness, intensity, saltiness, sourness, brininess.”
The scope of the book is impressive, with offerings from Martinqiue, Fiji, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hawai’i, and St. Lucia, among many other places. Profiles of local cooks and sidebar contributions by writers more familiar with particular places add additional depth.
Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.
