A Papa Rellena is essentially a stuffed potato. It is a common criollo snack or appetizer that utilizes that famous Andean ingredient, the potato, and is served all around Peru and quote common in other parts of South America and the Caribbean as well.

For some reason everyone is afraid to grill octopus. Yet, it’s not overly difficult. There is a fine line between cooking and overcooking, but with the tiniest bit of care your pulpo won’t become a rubbery mess. It’s an ideal addition to a seafood barbecue and can be skewered alongside shrimp and tuna. The addition of the Nikkei marinade included below, though not essential, adds a unique, slightly sweet Peruvian accent to the octopus.

Though rarely are frites, or fries, attributed to Belgium – examples: french fries, chips, freedom fries – they are indeed a creation of that northern European nation and nowhere on earth will a cone of frites taste so good. All across Belgium there are small stands called frietkots.

Whenever summer rolls around I began to think of Pecan Pie and when I have one in my kitchen it rarely lasts for more than a day or two. I eat a slice for breakfast, one in the afternoon with a cup of coffee, and then another post supper. The secret to this recipe is keeping the pie brown. I opt for natural sugar (not brown sugar, but natural) and then skipping out on light corn syrup for Montogomery, Alabama based Alaga syrup, a natural cane syrup that uses a recipe that dates to 1906. The formula is called the “Sweetness of the South.” The syrup adds a rich molasses flavor to the pie that you instantly recognize as what has been missing.

In El Salvador there are pupusas. In Mexico there are tacos. In Honduras there are Baleadas. The simple version consists of a thick flour – though sometimes corn – tortilla that has been put on a charcoal grill. It’s slathered in refried black beans and a bit of white farmer’s cheese then folded over like an American style soft Taco. It is the any time of the day snack. You can have one for breakfast and add eggs.