The season’s hottest cookbooks invite you to travel the world

One of the best ways to introduce yourself to a new place or culture is through food. Whether you’re traveling the state, globe or just across the metro, the restaurants, markets and little corner shops at your destination can be a window into another world.

You can have that same view in the comfort of your kitchen, too. Exploring recipes with global flavors and ingredients is almost like traveling to a faraway place, but without the need for a passport. The only requirement is a sense of adventure.

This spring brought an influx of cookbooks ready to transport you to the kitchens of Korea, France, Greece, Italy and more.

The beautiful “Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes” is from Sarah Ahn and her mother, Nam Soon Ahn. Reading the book makes you feel like you’re part of their conversations, with the benefit of getting a personal cooking lesson, too. You’ll walk away wanting to become fluent in Korean cuisine and, since it’s from the always-methodical America’s Test Kitchen, that possibility is not out of reach.

“Yassou” is the Greek expression for a casual hello or goodbye, and an appropriate name for Shaily Lipa’s cookbook. She explores her Greek heritage to give us an authentic taste of the cuisine, which takes a “less is more” approach to both flavors and technique. From grilled meats and stuffed vegetables to can’t-miss sweets and cook-with-the-seasons mentality, you’ll understand why embracing a Mediterranean diet is never a bad idea.

Milk Street’s Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch went off the beaten path to bring us “Backroads Italy: Finding Italy’s Forgotten Recipes.” It’s a mouthwatering guide to the country’s cuisine, whether you want to cook from it at home or use it as a guide to plan your dream culinary trip to Italy. The recipes are approachable, the photographs welcoming, the history lessons fascinating — and the travel bug will be relentless.

Anyone who has finished a dish with a dash of sesame oil knows the power of the ingredient. Rachel Simons, co-founder of Seed + Mill in New York, goes all in with “Sesame: Global Recipes and Stories of an Ancient Seed,” her first cookbook. Guided by her heritage and love of travel and learning, she brings us recipes that use the main ingredient in ways you wouldn’t expect. The book has a local connection, too, with Minneapolis author Maren Ellingboe King contributing.

Our last stop is France, with “Mostly French: Recipes from a Kitchen in Provence,” by Makenna Held. Anyone who’s harbored dreams of new beginnings should look to Held for inspiration. She bought La Pitchoune, Julia Child’s summer home in Provence, in 2016 after she came across a listing for it in the New York Times. Now she operates the home as the Courageous Cooking School, a name that gives a glimpse of her style of cooking. Anyone who believes French cooking is all about fuss will be delightfully swayed by “Mostly French.”

Your culinary adventure might uncover new-to-you ingredients; consider it an opportunity to travel to one of the many global markets or fine-food stores in the Twin Cities. You’ll get the best of both worlds.

Serves 4.

From “Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes,” by Sarah Ahn and Nam Soon Ahn. Sarah writes: “I always get excited when I see a bag of baby potatoes from our grocery haul waiting to be stored away, because it means that Umma is going to prepare algamja jorim very soon. These petite potatoes are boiled and then stir-fried and tossed with Umma’s salty-sweet sauce and finished with sesame seeds, green onion, and gochugaru. The potatoes become extremely creamy and offer irresistible poppable bites. We like yellow potatoes best here, but you can buy baby potatoes of any color that are ¾ to 1 inch in diameter. If you can only find larger baby potatoes, you can cut them into 1‑inch pieces.” (America’s Test Kitchen, 2025)

Directions

Whisk ⅔ cup water, the soy sauce, and corn syrup together in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.

Add the potatoes and salt to a 14‑inch flat-bottomed wok or 12‑inch nonstick skillet and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe the wok dry with paper towels.

Heat the oil in the wok over medium heat until shimmering. Add the potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until nearly tender, about 8 minutes. Add the sauce, toss to coat the potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes are fully tender and well seasoned, about 6 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sugar. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce becomes thick and stringy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds, green onion, and gochugaru. Serve. (Refrigerate for up to 4 days.)

Serves 2.

From “Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed,” by Rachel Simons, who writes: “There are pretty defined family roles in our kitchen. I am more than a bit bossy and I usually insist on playing head chef. One of my kids is sometimes willing to play sous chef. And my gracious husband, Chris, cleans up the hurricane that’s invariably left behind. But, there are a few recipes that have exceptions to these rules, and this is one of them. Unless Chris gets to play head chef for soft scrambled eggs, my kids won’t eat them. His technique and seasoning is perfect, and had to be shared in this book.” (Ten Speed Press, 2025)

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and a pinch or two each of salt and pepper until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, allowing the butter to start bubbling and fully coat the bottom of the skillet. Be careful not to let it burn. Pour in the egg mixture and let it sit in the skillet for 15 seconds without stirring.

Using a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, very gently move the egg mixture around the pan from one side to the other. Do not stir or whisk the egg mixture once it’s in the skillet. As you sweep the eggs from side to side, tilt the pan toward the heat so that the mixture pools on one side at a time, about 2 minutes total. The gentle sweeping and tipping movement will help the eggs cook at a consistent temperature and eventually create fluffy clouds of eggs. Watch the heat setting carefully so that the eggs don’t brown.

When ready to serve, sprinkle the eggs with the Gomasio and scallion and drizzle with the sesame oil. Serve immediately with the warm tortillas or toast, and finish with the avocado or any other favorite breakfast side.

Makes 1 cup.

Directions

In a mortar, combine the sesame seeds and 3 tablespoons of the salt, using a pestle to grind them into a coarse meal. Alternatively, combine the seeds and salt in a food processor and blitz until you are happy with the texture. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Store the gomasio in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 4 months.

Serves 4 to 6.

From “Yassou,” by Shally Lipa. Anyone who visits Greece has eaten these skewered boneless chicken morsels sold at every street food stall and restaurant. Chicken thighs are cut into cubes and soaked in a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and dried oregano, which softens the meat and enhances its flavor. Souvlaki is typically grilled over an open flame, but it can also be cooked in a pan on the stovetop. It is usually served with pita, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki. (Artisan, 2025).

For the souvlaki:

For serving:

Directions

If you are using wood skewers and a grill, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don’t burn while grilling. Grilling on a griddle pan doesn’t require soaking the skewers.

In a large bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup of the olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat all the chicken in the marinade. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. If you marinate it longer, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling to bring it close to room temperature.

Thread 5 or 6 chicken pieces on each skewer.

Heat a charcoal or gas grill or a griddle pan over high heat. Brush the grill or the pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to prevent the chicken from sticking.

Place the chicken skewers on the grill or the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown all over and cooked through.

Serve the skewers immediately with the pita, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, parsley and yogurt.

Serves 4 to 6.

From “Milk Street Backroads Italy,” by Christopher Kimball and J.M. Hirsch, who write: “In Rome, we learned to make pasta alla papalina — a lighter, brighter riff on classic carbonara. The dish has been popular since the 1920s, when, as the story goes, Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII, asked chef Ceseretto Simmi to create a more elegant take on the Italian staple. ... Our version was inspired by chef Andrea Dell’Omo of restaurant Mamma Angelina, who prepared for us a breathtakingly good rendition. We’ve incorporated frozen peas, which have become a common addition, adding freshness and pops of green. Don’t worry about thawing the peas. They will ‘cook’ quickly when tossed with the hot pasta. Also, be sure to remove the pot from the burner before adding the egg-cheese mixture. Residual heat will gently cook the yolks, ensuring that they don’t curdle but instead create a richness that coats the pasta.“ (Voracious, 2025)

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream, Parmesan and 2 teaspoons pepper; set aside. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot; set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisped, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer about one-quarter of the prosciutto-onion mixture to a small plate and reserve for garnish.

Scrape the remaining prosciutto-onion mixture into the pasta in the pot, then add the peas and ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, add the egg-cheese mixture; stir until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, toss in reserved water 1 tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the reserved prosciutto-onion mixture and additional Parmesan.

Serves 3 as a meal, 4 to 6 as a side dish.

Lentils have been cultivated in France for hundreds of years, and the French revere them. The most famous are green lentilles du Puy from a region in the central part of the country. Petite, with thin, green skins, they retain their shape beautifully during cooking. In fact, they bear little resemblance to the starchy brown American variety. This can be served cold, room temperature or warm. From “Mostly French: Recipes from a Kitchen in Provence,” by Makenna Held (Simon Element, 2025).

Directions

Heat a glug of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn gold, about 3 minutes. Transfer one-third of the shallots to a plate and set aside. Let the remaining shallots cook in the skillet until they turn deep gold with bits of brown, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the mustard seeds. Add the garlic and stir well.

Stir in the thyme and paprika. Add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits in the pan. Add the lentils and stir well. Cook until the lentils smell toasty, about 3 minutes. This develops their very appealing flavor.

Pour in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for doneness — they should be just tender and not too soft. (French lentils cook more quickly than standard American lentils.) Strain in a sieve to remove any excess cooking liquid. Transfer the lentils to a serving bowl and let them cool.

Add the thinnest veil of oil into the saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the reserved shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are crisp on the edges and very dark brown on the point of burning, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape the browned shallots onto a plate so they stop cooking.

Stir the vinegar, soy sauce and fish sauce into the lentils, tasting and adjusting for acidity and salt. Zest the lime over the lentils, then cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice over the top. Serve in individual bowls, add a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of herbs and some crispy shallots.