Tuscan

• Tuscany can be a wonderful region to explore for its simple cooking and its lighter style, which is less driven by pasta than other regional cuisines of Italy. Tuscan cuisine, perfect for a summer day, leans heavily on salads and tends to regard butter and olive oil as condiments rather than cooking ingredients. For your first Tuscan meal, try a simple cecina (a bread with very few ingredients) with a zuppa Toscana and a salad of greens with olive oil. For Tuscan recipe ideas, see Resources below.
  
  

Russian

• Explore Russian dishes when winter invites you to cook heavier fare. Try a dinner of potato pancakes or blini (Russian crepes, made with buckwheat or whole wheat). Serve your pancakes or blini with sour cream and a spoonful of caviar. Or try a mushroom torte with vegetarian borscht. For Russian recipes, see Resources below.
  
  

Cuban

• Typically less spicy than the cuisines of other Spanish-speaking cultures, Cuban food focuses on beans and rice. It also features rich meat dishes and Caribbean sides including fried plantains and sweet potatoes. Vegetarians are sure to enjoy traditional frijoles negros con arroz, while your meat-eating friends might enjoy pork and navy beans. See Resources below for Cuban recipe ideas.
  
  

Regional American Cooking

• Many churches and other community organizations publish recipe collections. These are great reflections of regional cooking in America. You can use them to involve your friends in a theme potluck--simply distribute recipes ahead of time. You can also explore these books from other places, touring the Scandinavian cooking of Minnesota or the French-Cajun cooking of Louisiana.