Summer Reading

The New Spanish Table

by Anya von Bremzen

Workman, 478 pp, $22.95 (paper)

Spain is the dynamic new epicenter of creative world cuisine, while at the same time, a culinary focal point for the freshest of Mediterranean ingredients paired with culinary tradition that goes back countless generations. Anya von Bremzen has managed to bridge the gap between the evolutionary new style of cooking that is taking Europe by storm and its foundations: the classic traditional cuisines of Spain.

Born in Russia and reared in New York City, von Bremzen got the call for a magazine article on Spanish cooking years ago, and she's never looked back. In 20 years of travel and research, she has managed to befriend almost every single master of Spanish cooking, both the artists of the rustic and traditional styles, and the Daliesque chefs who are leading the innovative revolution in nuevo cocina styles. The collection of more than 300 recipes masterfully addresses the regional diversity of the country, with recipes that were selected for their bold flavors and their ability to excite.

The book is lavishly illustrated, and von Bremzen is brilliant with her numerous sidebars: in-depth windows into the history of the food, artisanal producers, food fiestas, ingredient details, memoirs of incredible meals and meetings with master chefs, and more. The New Spanish Table is written with wit and focus. If you never cook a single dish from this amazing collection, you will definitely come away with an illuminating and detailed overview of Spain's regional cuisines, from the tiniest villages to the biggest cosmopolitan cities. It is the seminal work on Spanish cuisine, and whether your goal is to cook something as rustic as an egg-and-potato tortilla with chorizo and allioli or as modern as cold tuna with balsamic-vinegar ice cream, von Bremzen will see you through.