A Taste of the World: Celebrating Global Flavors (Cooking with Kids) by Rowena Scherer is a delightful family-friendly cookbook that combines cooking, culture, and education. Featuring over 60 full-meal recipes from 20 countries, this book makes it easy to introduce kids to international flavors while encouraging hands-on learning in the kitchen. Each recipe includes kid-safe steps, vibrant illustrations, and cultural facts, turning every dish into an exploration of world traditions. Whether you're making Pilau na Kachumbari from Kenya or Black Bean Enchiladas from Mexico, the step-by-step instructions and colorful photos ensure a fun and accessible cooking experience for the whole family.

This book shines in its ability to blend education and enjoyment, offering a unique way to bond over food while fostering curiosity about different cultures. While some ingredients may require extra effort to source, the recipes themselves are approachable, making it an ideal addition for families eager to cook and learn together. If you're looking for a cookbook that delivers both flavor and cultural appreciation, A Taste of the World is a fantastic choice.

A full review can be found on the blog: https://goodleyliving.com/a-taste-of-the-world-celebrating-global-flavors/.

A TASTE OF THE WORLD is a wonderful cookbook featuring recipes from Asia, Africa, and so many more places. Recipes are organized in a great manner including allergens, ingredients needed and time to make with helpful and educational commentary at the beginning of each one. Not only does this make a great family activity - learning about countries together while cooking a meal - it would be a great resource for homeschooling families learning about geography.

So, a couple of caveats before I start my review: first, I'm reviewing the DRC and haven't seen the final book, so any nit-picky things I say may have been changed before publication (many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for lending me a copy in exchange for my honest review); second, I'm reviewing this as a middle-aged woman who never had kids, so any opinions I give about how this cookbook relates to children are based on my experiences with the Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cookbook I got in '77 or '78 (which I still use on occasion - a good recipe is a good recipe!), and thinking about how children I know would use it.

Reviewing with kids in mind, there's not a lot of steps in the recipes that younger ones can handle; I'd say the starting age would be about 10, but if there are also younger ones in the household it wouldn't hurt to let them watch and maybe help out with easy tasks. Beyond that, I trust the child/children's adults to know their kids and whether or not they can handle the cooking, but adult supervision while cooking is always a good idea, especially with unfamiliar recipes. There are quite a few recipes I would've felt comfortable with at 10, but they are several more complicated ones I'd have waiting to try when I was a bit older, and I do believe I would've kept using this cookbook in high school and beyond. There are some recipes that use small amounts of cooking alcohol, such as mirin or sake (primarily salad dressings and marinades/sauces), and the beef bourguignon does have 1 cup of red wine in it, but non-alcoholic substitutes are given (or are in such small amounts it's negligible), and alcohol cooks away anyway - I don't think any kids will be led into temptation, but it did surprise me a bit to see that in a cookbook geared toward kids/teens. Each recipe makes a full meal with a main and one or two sides that serves 4, and the instructions are pretty thorough, going through each step of the process: prep, recommended order of cooking with what to do, and serving tips. The sides are kept pretty simple, and I appreciated vegetarian and gluten-free options given. Also, I don't remember seeing many recipes that had spicy-hot ingredients; one had spicy fermented bean paste, and there were a few that had red pepper flakes, so if you and/or your kid/s can't handle capsaicin like me, there's little here to worry about. Most if not all steps have photos (it's always nice to see the prepped ingredients to have an idea on how they should look), and each has a pic of the finished meal. Nutrition information would've been nice for special diets (like T1D), but I really don't have any big issues with this cookbook. The worst I can say is the author uses a slightly different cooking method for rice than I do, but it's not as if her method is bad or anything; we just all have our preferences!

As a childless cat lady, I would absolutely recommend this book for other childless adults. Yes, this is geared toward kids and teens, but as an adult I expect you to get over any instructions that seem overly simple to you or otherwise make the intended audience clear (I will say I never felt like the book was talking down to me or any other potential reader)and just enjoy the recipes! I want to make pretty much everything, and I especially want to try the vegetarian options because they sound equally yummy! There are likely some ingredients you don't have in your pantry, but for the most part, these are non-perishable ingredients like spices or sauces (I've been meaning to try fenugreek anyway), but if these aren't available at a grocery store near you, nothing's so weird that you couldn't find it online, and any less-than-usual ingredients have suggested substitutes; for example, I don't know if I'll be able to find kai-lan (Chinese broccoli) locally, but broccoli can easily take its place. I would (and likely will) buy a copy of this for myself, and I'm recommending it whether you have kids or not!

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This is a nice idea for a cookbook - families exploring the world by cooking featured dishes from various regions - and the presentation is gorgeous, with brief fact-filled pages about each country mixed in with the recipes.

The food sounds pretty yummy, and there are vegetarian options available for many of the dishes. There are listings that alert the would-be cook as to allergens, dairy, and gluten products to look out for. The recipes are pretty complicated, with many specialized ingredients (ground sumac?) that may not be available for rural families whose only grocery source is Walmart. They're also for families whose children possess sophisticated palates -definitely NOT my kids. (One of mine even refuses to try sauce with his nuggets, and, NO - I'm NOT proud of that fact.)

In all, a very nice cookbook - but not for everybody.

Having grownup in a multicultural neighborhood and enjoying different foods from many cultures, I wanted my granddaughter to do the same. I found this book full of variety and fun. Both full of recipes and educational it is a two for one book. We love cooking together as a family and this book will definitely be added to our family cookbook collection.

A clever thing about this cookbook is the facts it has for each country! The recipes are simple enough to do with children while introducing new flavors. I like that it has snippets of information at the start of each section and on the recipe pages. The information isn’t overwhelming and would be perfect for introducing other cultures or exploring foods from around the world.

This was a wonderful world cookbook! I love the way that it was set up in the different continents. I also love that it gave different options for vegetarian and possibly gluten-free. It gave a wonderful description of each location. It is a wonderful introduction to the world and cuisine outside our nation. Is more entree focused, but the variety of dishes makes for it. It is also organized in a very efficient way for families and students alike.

A playful and interesting read to help children understand global cuisine, encourage them to expand their budding palates and pique their cultural curiosities! Full of beautiful illustrations and fascinating food facts, this book is fun for the entire family!

My oldest son loves to help with cooking. This book includes some delicious recipes as well as interesting facts. We loved the recipe for Maryland Crab Cakes. This family friendly cookbook features recipes from Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The layout is cute with tons of interesting facts. I love that it has a map before each new area. I teach geography and I even learned so much. I can't wait to incorporate this into class. The recipes looked good and I am excited to try them.

4 stars

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I loved this cookbook. It's great for kids and families to enjoy new and different foods from around the world. It has multiple pictures of the cooking process as well as great photos of the completed dish. I think even picky eaters would like these recipes. And the fun facts throughout the book are a added bonus.

This book has beautiful photos along with very cool graphics. Each section gives neat “did you know” facts associated with the area. They include information about each country, let you know what recipes from the area are going to be shared, and give you a little language lesson. The recipes include expected time to complete, servings, allergy notes, and each step is broken down according to skill level and marked by stars. This would be great for the whole family to use to cook together!

There’s a quote at the beginning of this book: “Food is a Lens for Culture” and I couldn’t agree more. Experiencing another country’s food can lead to learning more about the country’s culture, history, and customs as well.

Ms Scherer’s book, A Taste of the World, has more than sixty family-friendly (and mouth-watering) recipes. It’s a great way to not only experience various global flavors, but also learn more about other cultures. The cookbook includes maps, short introductions to the various countries, a sentence or phrase in the native language, and fun facts.

Every recipe (all main dishes) includes colored photographs with information about each one, step by step instructions, prep time, and even allergy warnings. The cookbook is also very well-organized and includes a glossary of terms as well as a detailed index It’s a cookbook that would definitely appeal to families who like to cook together or even a beginning cook.

The recipes might be a little sophisticated for the palate of a younger child but often, if they have a hand in preparing a meal, they are more willing to try a new food. I know this is a cookbook that my children and I would have enjoyed using together when they were younger.

A Taste of the World is well-presented and the author has put a lot of thought into it. As a result, it’s a great book to kick-off some quality time with family members – young and old alike – while learning about other countries and experiencing different cuisine. 4.5 rounded up to 5. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

This is a great introduction to different food cultures with a range of interesting recipes! There are brief intros to each culture represented with a few recipes from each culture. The recipes themselves are somewhat involved for younger cooks, so I would recommend an adult and child working together. For older kids (10 and up) or those with more cooking experience, they can probably do much of it on their own. There are helpful stars on each step of the recipe, with more stars indicating more complicated steps, so that is a good way to quickly divide up the work!

One thing to note is that my kiddo is a fairly adventurous eater, and she wasn't especially attracted to many of the recipes from the description/photos. So it might not be a great fit for those with pickier eaters, but it's worth a try!

This is a great cookbook for kids. It divides recipes by world region and country and is set up to teach children about food and cultures around the world.

This cooking book is my new favorite thing! This combines my love of cooking, eating, and learning all in one. Everyone of these recipes is so thoughtfully picked out and arranged in a way to get your children in on the cooking fun. With clearly labeled steps and guidelines for the ages of your children. Combine that with colorful illustrations, and being broken down from continent to continent and country to country. This is a recipe for many nights of family fun, pun intended. I was also thrilled to see the pages with facts and the histories of the countries being presented. I cannot wait to get a copy of this for my house and start on our own culinary journey around the world!!

This very engaging book presents food exploration for fun (and eats!) and shows the skill levels plus special diets and even has veg options. It presents important things to know when working safely together in the kitchen. The themes are divided into: Asia with 5 countries with at least one step-by-step recipe for each, Europe 6, Africa 3, Middle East 2, the Americas 4, and each has interesting things to know about the people/trivia. There are also glossary and index at the end.
The photography by Nick Shaw and Ashley Skatoff Is impressive in how it shows families working and learning together to make "exotic" meals. Adelaide Mueller contributed with many recipes.
The illustrations by Albert Pew are fun, simple, brilliantly colorful, and representative.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to EVERYone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from The Collective Book Studio via NetGalley. Thank You!

A Taste of the World is a delightful cookbook geared towards children and family. It takes you on a culinary journey across the continents. The book is divided into sections by world region and introduces each before the recipes. Each recipe is detailed, including allergen information, time needed, and equipment needed. While only some recipes offer vegetarian substitutions, each one has step-by-step photos and easy-to-understand instructions. The tidbits offered about each country do skew young, as do the visuals. However, this cookbook can be a practical way for families looking to explore new tastes and other culinary traditions.

This book contains recipes related to countries around the world that you can make with children of all ages! This would be such a fun tool for both teaching children about other countries and helping them to learn their way around the kitchen. The recipes have thoughtful notations for what age range each recipe is suitable for as well as dietary restrictions and tips for cooking with kids. Each dish has beautiful finished-product photos, as well as helpful photos for each step in the recipe. Everything looks so delicious and I would recommend this to those with children as well as child-free adults who want to expand their palates or their cooking knowledge!

"A Taste of the World" is probably the most intriguing cookbook I’ve ever encountered. I particularly appreciate that it includes instructions on how to use the book and offers helpful cooking tips. Each recipe section begins with a few facts about the continent the recipes are from, followed by details about the main countries featured, and then the recipes themselves. I initially thought this book would only contain recipes, but the fun facts are a delightful addition for those interested in the cultural background of the dishes they’ll be preparing.

The recipes are easy to follow and are labeled with their level of difficulty, which is especially useful for determining if a child can participate. At the top of each recipe, there is information about the dish and the pronunciation of its name. This thoughtful touch can encourage someone to try a meal they might have otherwise overlooked. Additionally, the inclusion of vegetarian alternatives for meat-based dishes is very considerate. Overall, I highly recommend getting this cookbook!