Cookbooks: 1970s to the Present: More Global Outreach

“Fusion” became a buzzword in the 1990s as restaurant chefs experimented, mixing many cultures on the plate or in the pot. Asian greens appeared with increasing frequency in French-inspired entrées. French goat cheese found its way into macaroni and cheese. Italian polenta mixed with Mexican salsas. However, other international approaches focused on more authentic recipes. Americans were traveling beyond the usual European nations to Asia, and Pacific Rim foods became sought after. Notable books from this trend include Yamuna Devi’s The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking: Lord Krishna’s Cuisine (1987), Elizabeth Andoh’s An Ocean of Flavor: The Japanese Way with Fish and Seafood (1988), and Nicole Routhier’s The Foods of Vietnam (1989). The impressive Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet: A Culinary Journey through Southeast Asia (2000) won that year’s best cookbook award from both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the James Beard Foundation. Building on their winning formula of travel, research, and photography, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid created a picture of Southeast Asia that few authors had managed before. Their later books brought the cuisines of India and China to life for Americans.