Passport to Love

Review by Courtney S. Ries

It's not every day that an international cookbook is on my reading list, but that's exactly what Jenny Patrizia Lee has created with Passport to Love. A self-published book, Passport to Love is Lee's first writing attempt after several inventions.

A mother of two, Lee has created a book she hoped mothers could relate to - one that allowed families to "travel around the world...and experience each country's culture, ambiance and food from the comforts of home." Countries range from Argentina to Vietnam, although it is not comprehensive. All the countries with popular cuisine, such as the United States, France and Italy, are included. And, to Lee's credit, most people probably won't seek out cuisine from Algeria. However, Croatia, Ecuador and South Africa are a few more noticeable omissions.

Lee starts each page with translated greetings - hello, pleased to meet you, welcome, how are you, etc. Next, she follows with the translation for "I love you" so hosts can share their feelings in another language. Although Arabic, Russian and non-latin words are translated phonetically, there is no pronunciation guide. This may make it a little difficult to use if you choose the book to help you throw a party that welcomes a native speaker.

After the greeting, each entry lists music/artist selections for your choice of background music. Lee lists artists, albums and songs, without distinction between the three, so it can be confusing trying to figure out what you're searching for - is this is song? Or an album? Maybe it's a band...

In order to appropriately accompany your musical grooves, you need to walk the walk and dress in the local style. Although some of the suggestions may seem a little hokey, they're great for kids wanting to play dress up. They can even help with the decorating too: Lee makes sure to add easy-to-make (if you can find the supplies) centerpieces in her recommendations.

Lastly, the production culminates in the meal everyone will be salivating for. Each country has two recipes - a main course and, more importantly, a desert. The recipes are simple enough that they usually can both fit on one page, although I must admit that I have not attempted to recreate any of the mouth-watering selections.

In the last 35 pages, Lee has included Passport to Love invitations in two styles, one of which is probably the most creative part of the book. Also hidden in the back are preferred wines by country and a listing of national flowers.

Passport to Love is a cute, quick way to infuse a little culture into your kitchen. Although not ideal for planning large culturally-themed dinners and events, it's a simple way to spice up your day-to-day menu.

• Passport to Love by Jenny Patrizia Lee