Cocina Cookbooks

Basque masterpieces in miniature...a star chef's tapas...

The biggest Spanish cookbooks are focusing on small bites. In his exquisite and exacting La Alta Cocina Vasca en Miniatura (Basque Haute Cuisine in Miniature), food writer Peio Garcia Amiano creates tapas-inspired mini masterpieces, like tiny towers of seared liver layered with soft cheese and caramelized apples. The book, published only in Spanish, is geared toward chefs, but the photos and recipes will intrigue anyone. In Cooking Is Fun, young Spanish chef Sergi Arola translates his innovative recipes into English; they range from smoked tuna with mozzarella ice cream to peach confit with crispy leeks. DETAILS Books available from Kitchen Arts & Letters; 212-876-5550.

Published February 2005