This book is beautifully illustrated! Rather than just being a standard recipe book, it goes into the history of each country represented, alongside providing recipes and explaining the background of traditional dishes. I would potentially advise if people are just interested in a simple recipe book that it might not be for them, but for someone interested in history, culture and food this is a fantastic and easily digestible gift book. It's quite large so not the most convenient for reading and storing, which is why I've knocked a star off. This would be a great gift for a younger person such as a teenager or child with an interest in food. It's a great idea to get people thinking about where their food comes from, and what inspired it. The illustrations are beautiful and rather than just being a practical book, this is a gorgeous coffee table type book.