If you're in a bit of a dinner doldrums rut, then sister, listen up! - because this cookbook might be for you. Celebrated food writer and researcher Von Diaz just released Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking and personally, I'm hoping it will be my passport to food paradise. 

It feels wrong to just call it a cookbook - it's more of an experience. The photos alone make me want to take up cooking full time (but really, who has the time?). It's beautiful, vibrant and full of 125 recipes that are bursting with bold flavors and untold stories from the islands of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.

More Than a Meal: Uncovering Island Culture Through Food

But Islas is more than just a collection of recipes; it takes you on a captivating journey through some of the world's richest cultures (without all the tourist traps). Diaz weaves rich history, soul, and cultural significance into every dish so that you're not just cooking, you're experiencing the wisdom, values and resilience of the islands from your very own kitchen. 

Master Island Cooking Techniques

This book promises to help you master culturally significant recipes like Jamaican Coco Bread, smoky Malagasy Masikita beef skewers, and Filipino Lechon Kawali, and walks you through time-tested techniques like pickling, slow-cooking, and even in-ground roasting to create unforgettable meals that imbue bold flavors in the face of limited resources, as islanders have done for centuries.

So whether you're a seasoned pro or a home cook who likes to dabble in something a little extra every now and then, let Islas lead the way to an immersive culinary tour of the islands.