The ultimate single-source cookbook for a world of appetizers Whether in the form of a passed hors d'oeuvre, canap?, or a dish of small bites placed at a table setting, appetizers are the perfect showcase of a cook's creativity and skill. The Appetizer Atlas brings together an enticing range of starters from around the world that will help lead off any dining experience in style. This unique, encyclopedic cookbook offers 400 authentic, savory recipes for appetizers from twenty-eight distinctive regional cuisines-from Mexico to Maghreb, from China to the Caribbean, along with France, India, Italy, Japan, Thailand, and many more. All recipes are kitchen tested, perfect for home cooking, professional catering, and entertaining. With photographs of finished dishes, plus background material on specialty ingredients and regional cooking methods, this comprehensive resource is the only appetizer book a cook will ever need. Arthur L. Meyer (Austin, TX) is a professional chef, pastry chef, and consultant for commercial bakeries. Jon M. Vann is an award-winning chef, restaurant consultant, and a food writer for the Austin Chronicle. As the enticing prelude to any entree, the tempting spark that begins a meal, appetizers offer a rich palette of ingredients and presentations for a cook’s creativity and imagination. With a selection of 400 recipes, suitable for every occasion and skill level, from familiar and exotic locations around the world, The Appetizer Atlas opens up endless culinary possibilities. Featuring hors d’oeuvres and small plates from 96 countries and 28 different regions, The Appetizer Atlas is an indispensable recipe-by-recipe tour of the world’s peoples and customs. Traveling from country to country, readers will experience such simple-to-prepare starters as Rum-Marinated Fried Chicken Drumettes (from the Dominican Republic), Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Ham and Onion (from Sweden), Yam and Fish Cakes with Red Chile Sauce (from Nigeria), and Garlic-Braised Spareribs with Preserved Black Beans (from China). A feast for the imagination as well as the palate, The Appetizer Atlas includes detailed maps of each region as well as color photographs of plated dishes. Arranged as in an atlas by geographic location, the book reveals the unique culinary character of each country as expressed in its ingredients, produce, common cooking methods, and techniques. Clear, itemized instructions for preparing in advance (such as marinating overnight), assembly method, specialized techniques, as well as food pairings turn the artistry of appetizer creation into practical, easy-to-follow steps. Set against a colorful backdrop of each region’s history, native produce, and culinary influences and development, the recipes in The Appetizer Atlas are living reminders of the common heritage of delicious, inspired cuisine shared by all nations the world over. Reinvent your culinary imagination with The Appetizer Atlas "Comprehensive and eminently useful . . . great for lifting your party from the doldrums of predictability. I am already stealing ideas." –Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential and A Cook’s Tour "A must read. . . . Every restaurant kitchen and home should have a copy of The Appetizer Atlas." –Dean Fearing, chef and author of The Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook and Dean Fearing’s Southwest Cuisine "Meyer and Vann deliver a dazzling array of little treasures with big flavors. Browsing through their creative recipes made me want to nibble my way around the world." –James McNair, bestselling cookbook author, International Association of Culinary Professionals Award of Excellence honoree "The excellent recipes . . . are matched by a top-notch bibliography and a glossary that instructs and inspires. BRAVO!" –Antonia Allegra, CCP Director, The Symposium for Professional Food Writers ARTHUR L. MEYER, author of Baking Across America and Texas Tortes, is a classically trained chef who has cooked professionally since 1963. In 1992, he opened (with Jon M. Vann) the critically acclaimed Clarksville Restaurant, specializing in international cuisine. He has taught cooking internationally and is on the board of directors for the renowned Le Notre Bakeries. JON M. VANN is an award-winning chef who has been cooking professionally for thirty years. He has opened four successful restaurants, including Clarksville Restaurant, and is the co-owner of M&MISC, which hosts events featuring the foods and music of world cultures. Vann is a food writer for the Austin Chronicle and has contributed articles and recipes to the New York Times as well as a number of regional magazines and cookbooks.