Pho Ga is a classic Vietnamese dish made with rich broth, noodles, and shredded chicken. When I was in the city of Saigon (also called Ho Chi Mihn), I spent a day learning how to make it perfectly with charred shallots and ginger, and toasted spices. My young teacher taught me the importance of rinsing the chicken after boiling it for a few minutes, before simmering it slowly for hours. The addition of toasted spices, sugar, and fish sauce at the end of the cooking is what gives the chicken broth its unique flavor.

Causas are a unique layered potato dish that is served chilled as an appetizer or light meal. I first had them in Lima, Peru and I loved the artistic presentation and slightly spicy flavor in the different layers.

The Italians made lasagna famous with their hearty dish layered with rich ragu and sheets of pasta. But the Greeks’ ziti and spicy meat sauce tastes equally outrageous. It is a savory pie wrapped in pastry that originated in Italy but was adopted by the Greeks in the 1800’s by a chef who created his own version using cinnamon and cloves in the meaty layers.

The island of Java in Indonesia is often best known for its coffee plantations, which is where we get the term “java” for our coffee. But they are also known for their food, which is rich with spices that are also grown on the island. During my visit I saw cinnamon trees in full bloom, covered in pink blossoms. We carefully carved the bark from the tree, which would later curl into a scroll to become dried cinnamon.

In the southeastern part of Mexico City there is a small town called San Pedro Atocpan, which is known for the National Festival of Mole. The people there take their mole very seriously and during the festival they present their special dishes to the public to honor the delicious sauce that comes from their chichimecas heritage. I visited San Pedro Atocpan and strolled the streets that were filled with small “mole shops” where people from all over Mexico City get the ingredients for mole.

Chichilo mole is one of the seven famous moles from Oaxaca, Mexico. It requires the chilhuacle dried chiles that are very typical of Oaxaca. When I was in the market in Oaxaca City with Chef Irving Herrera he took me through the maze of stalls, each selling a huge variety of fresh and dried chiles. He shopped in the market every day for his restaurant and had his favorite vendors where he bought the ingredients for each day’s menu.

In nearly every culture it’s common to use leftovers to incorporate into the next day’s meal or snack. For this popular Spanish tapa, leftover chicken and ham are blended into a thick white sauce. Once the mixture is chilled, it’s formed into little logs that are breaded and fried. When you bite into these little gems you get a crunchy coating with a soft pillowy center. This recipe makes quite a lot, so I freeze them and pull them out to be fried up anytime I need a perfect snack with a cold glass of rosé.

Chiles en Nogada is often referred to as the national dish of Mexico, and its colors of green, red, and white represent the Mexican flag. It was reputedly invented by nuns in Puebla in 1821 when Mexico gained its independence. It is a chile stuffed with meat and fruit that is fried and served with a pureed walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds.

Pastilla is one of the most glorious dishes in the Moroccan kitchen. It’s often served for special occasions and is similar to chicken pot pie. But the filling can also be made with seafood, quail, and pigeon. It may sound odd to read the ingredients that include both sweet and savory, but once you bite into this labor of love, you’ll understand why this golden pastry is so special. Don’t let the long recipe deter you. It is worth the time and effort and is a pièce de resistance.

One of the most classic Peruvian dishes is Aji de Gallina, a rich chicken stew blended with nuts and aji Amarillo. It appeared on menus all over Lima, and nearly every Peruvian cook had her recipe, claiming it to be the best.