What do the Hotel Valley Ho, the Philadelphia Phillies home field, and a distillery in Tasmania have in common? Each one features eye-catching art by Phoebe Cornog and Roxy Prima, the masterminds behind Pandr Design Co. This fall, Phoebe and Roxy are sharing their wisdom with readers in Wonder Walls, an inspiring how-to book on transforming a space with paint. We sat down with Phoebe and Roxy to talk about why murals make us happy, what it’s like to paint at the edge of the world, and how to get your dog to sit still long enough to snag that cover shot.

Danielle Centoni knows all the ins and outs of Portland food: She’s written everything from a minute-by-minute accounting of “One Night at Kachka” to a crash course on making the most of the city’s famed food fest, Feast Portland. Recently, the Portland-based writer deployed her Stumptown know-how to write The Little Local Portland Cookbook. We sat down with her to talk about doughnut drop-offs, the salmon dish that makes her heart sing, and the secret behind Huber’s iconic Spanish Coffee.

Arizona native Marilyn Noble has long been steeped in Southwest culinary culture: She grew up eating tamales, refried beans, and other local specialties, and went on to study Agricultural Science at the University of Arizona. Marilyn has since penned stories on local food and agriculture for Edible Phoenix and The Counter, and authored four cookbooks highlighting Southwestern food. Recently, the Tempe-based author poured her deep knowledge of the region into The Little Local Southwest Cookbook. We sat down with her to talk about friendly ghosts, the mother of all chiles, and the mysterious origin of the chimichanga.  

We are lucky to be based in San Francisco, where an incredible variety of Asian restaurants serve up dim sum and sushi and hot pot and pho, kimchee and dumplings and dry-fried chicken wings. We’re so grateful for this incredible culinary community, and for the community of chef-authors we’re fortunate to work with. This May, as we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’d like to take the opportunity to honor our Asian American authors. Nothing makes us happier than bringing people together through food; on that note, here are six of our favorite Asian dishes to gather around.

Growing up, Boston-based chef and journalist Annie Copps spent many summers with her family on Cape Cod, in Osterville. Recently, she channeled her passion for the cape, and her deep knowledge of New England food, into a cookbook that celebrates everyone’s favorite vacation spot: A Little Taste of Cape Cod. We sat down with the chef-author to talk about how Cape Cod got its name, the dish that’ll cure a broken heart, and the secret to making amazing clam chowder.

When asked what he loved to do most, my dad always loved to say “travel and eat, travel and eat.” Our family trips followed that pattern, and my memories of those trips are entwined with the food we ate. Our love of traveling and eating led us to create the Little Local Cookbooks. This year, as we’ve stayed home, dreaming of the someday-travel ahead, these cookbooks have become a way to travel right from our own kitchens. This spring, we invite you to dive into a Little Local Cookbook, and take your tastebuds on a road trip.

The Little Local New Orleans Cookbook honors a city famed for its rich culinary traditions, incredible music, and infectious air of joie de vivre: New Orleans. Our author, Stephanie Jane Carter, has deep roots in NOLA; in her recipe selection, she highlights quintessential New Orleans dishes and drinks, and delves into the fascinating history behind them. These recipes are complemented by Courtney Jentzen’s watercolor images of the city’s best-loved landmarks, from the stately St. Charles streetcar to the colorful balconies of the French Quarter.

Kaori Becker learned the art of mochi making from her mother. Together, they opened Kaori’s Kitchen, a Bay Area cooking school where she and her mother taught Japanese and Asian cooking classes. Their popular five-course mochi-making classes inspired the creation of Mochi Magic, a beautiful book that teaches readers how to prepare the Japanese treat at home. We sat down with Kaori to talk about the tradition of mochi pounding at New Year’s, the cutest mochi she’s ever seen, and why making daifuku mochi is just like playing with Play-Doh.

Burlington-based writer Melissa Pasanen harnessed her knowledge of Vermont to create a cookbook celebrates the the Green Mountain State: The Little Local Vermont Cookbook. We sat down with the author to talk about the best ways to use maple syrup, Vermonters’ fondness for lamb, and a certain Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s love of hot buttered rum.

Boston-based chef and journalist Annie Copps channeled her passion for New England food—and her experiences traveling and reporting in Maine—into a cookbook that honors the rich culinary traditions of the Pine Tree State: The Little Local Maine Cookbook. We sat down with the chef-author to talk about the potato-rich land, locals’ strong feelings on apple pie, and why Maine lobster really is the best in the world.

One of the two books that launched our Little Local Series, A Little Taste of Cape Cod honors a tiny piece of land that has had an outsized impact on our lives, a place that has been mythologized for its beaches, boardwalks, and beautiful denizens: Cape Cod. Our Boston-based author, Annie B. Copps, has deep roots in the Bay State, and her recipes make brilliant use of the region’s bounty. Courtney Jentzen’s lush illustrations depict sailboats at anchor, a beach picnic at sunset, and a wild, wondrous cranberry bog, vivid red beneath a pale blue sky.

The latest book in our Little Local series honors a region that’s won our hearts with its scenery and architecture, its eye-catching cacti and, above all, its amazing food. Our Tempe-based writer, Marilyn Noble, takes us straight to the heart of the region, with recipes that embrace the flavors of the wild desert. These recipes are complemented by illustrator Courtney Jentzen’s glowing watercolor illustrations, which nod to the open road, open sky, and the wide, wonderful spaces that define the Southwest.

One of the most recent books in our Little Local series honors a small state that looms large in our collective imagination; a place whose very name connotes ‘vacation’: Vermont. Author Melissa Pasanen shares recipes for hearty dishes that are as comforting as a crisp day in the mountains. Meanwhile, illustrator Courtney Jentzen evokes the state’s bucolic setting with glowing watercolor illustrations of fall foliage and covered bridges, rolling hills and placid lakes.

Even though we aren’t traveling, we can still explore the world around us through food. We might do that by cooking with produce from our own garden or our local farmers market. Or, perhaps, we might prepare recipes from far-flung locales at home, using those dishes to transport ourselves to beloved places without ever leaving home.