It’s chilly in the Atacama desert at night, but one evening I was privileged to cook with the chef of a guesthouse near San Pedro, Chile. The kitchen was warm from the wood-fired oven as we stood at a large wooden table, making empanadas by the dozens.

I once spent three days exploring Argentina’s stunning region of Mendoza. horseback riding, hiking, and sampling its famous bold red wines. One evening, I attended a dinner where every dish included a Mendoza wine (even dessert). For the main course, the chef served beef short ribs that had braised all afternoon in a pot of Malbec and fresh herbs. He presented it on a bed of potatoes with a drizzle of velvety sauce.

When I visited the city of Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan, India I was introduced to famous dish called “Red Meat” made with mutton and red chiles. The proper name is Laal Maans, and it appears on nearly every menu in Rajasthan. I had the privilege of making it with 3 chefs at the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur in the restaurant kitchen.

One of my favorite memories of strolling along the streets of Athens was the smell of grilled meat and vegetables wafting from the souvlaki shops. Inside were open fire pits where men were turning long skewers packed with spicy meat over the coals. As the kabobs cooked, peppers and onions sizzled on iron plates next to the fire, waiting to be topped with fresh bread and seared meat.

This is a dish that is more common in the United States than in Italy. It was likely started by Italian immigrants who craved the flavors of southern Italy where lemons are abundant. I actually had veal piccata at a little trattoria in Positano, a village on the Amalfi coast of Italy.

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.

The Vines resort is nestled in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Mendoza region of Argentina. While staying there, I spent hours wandering around the outdoor kitchen area where numerous open fires were being tended to for preparation of the evening dinner. Under the portico there was a grill set between two brick walls where an iron grate laid across. At least a dozen whole fish were sizzling over the sparkling flames. The young chef proudly tended the fish, careful to cook them perfectly while I watched and asked questions of their preparation. He explained that the key to grilling fish is to keep the grates oiled well and watch closely to make sure they don’t burn.

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.

I love shopping at my local farmers market, picking up seasonal vegetables and meats grown on farms near my home and not thousands of miles away. My favorite farmer is Nate, a California native who moved to Oklahoma to go to college. He fell in love with my home state and bought a farm where he has raised pigs, chickens, turkeys, and beef for the past 5 years. His business, Prairie Creek Farms, has flourished, and the meat he sells is some of the best I’ve ever tasted. The jalapeno brats are my favorite, and if I’m not grilling them in the summer, I’m braising them in beer during the colder months.

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.

If I learned anything about the way food is cooked in Patagonia, it’s that the main ingredient is fire. Nearly every meal I ate, and dish I prepared was either baked in a wood-fired oven or on a spit or grill over roaring flames. It was the end of spring when I visited the Chilean side of Patagonia and many of the vegetables had just ripened. They were drizzled with olive oil and roasted over flames next to beef or lamb, and sometimes buried in the ash to cook slowly in the hot embers.

Argentina boasts some of the best steaks in the world, mostly due to the way they raise their cattle. Very happy cows graze in the lush pastures called “Las Pampas”, resulting in lean and very flavorful meat. The city of Buenos Aires has countless parrillas steakhouses where cuts of beef are grilled and seasoned with nothing more than salt.