“History is Delicious” showcases flavorful building blocks from different global cuisines. I share short stories about representative dishes from 18 different countries and also include fun chapters like Dumplings of the World, Noodles of the World and Sauces of the World that spotlight other countries that I hope to cover in more depth in the future. We only had 80 pages to work with in this book, including Laura Foy’s wonderful illustrations, so it’s a small sampling of what the world offers. Hopefully “History is Delicious” is the start of a larger series.

In many ways, “History is Delicious” is the culmination of my food writing and culinary experiences from the past two decades and was a welcome reminder that we all have so much more to learn about the world. I certainly do.

As we continue to see across the world, myopic people could benefit from more empathy and understanding. When we learn about other cultures and countries, it becomes easier to see how people have things in common.

People eat differently worldwide, with rituals and etiquette that would be hard to imagine anywhere else. No one cuisine is better than another. Personal preference normally comes down to familiarity, family tradition, context, and perspective.

I experienced every dish featured in “History is Delicious,” often in the U.S., though I enjoyed some dishes at their source. I’ve traveled to China, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries not included in the book.

It was important to include other voices in “History is Delicious.” Four talented local chefs also contributed recipes for the book that reflect their cultures:

• Petra Zavaleta, Barbakush and Lanea, corn tortillas
• Sandra Cordero, Gasolina Cafe, tortilla Española
• Akira Yoshimura, Jichan’s Onigiri-ya, onigiri
• Ori Menashe, Bavel, hummus

I worked with local publisher Honest History on “History is Delicious.” L.A. based couple Brooke and David Knight also publishes a magazine. Honest History is designed to inspire kids to make their own positive impact on history. Brooke also wrote a book called “History is Inventive” about inventors that’s also part of this new book series, released August 10.

Reaching kids 8-13, Honest History’s target audience, would be amazing, since this book could lay the groundwork for a lifetime of open-minded eating and cultural exploration. This is the book that I wish I had when I was 13. My hope is that readers of all ages get excited about the book’s different dishes and cuisines and seek out those experiences locally or when they travel. Even other professional food writers could learn from “History is Delicious.”

Order “History is Delicious” today. Thanks for reading!