Full disclosure: I know Jodi Ettenberg, author of "The Food Traveler's Handbook." I've eaten with Jodi and explored cities with her; she's even inspected the spices in my Istanbul sublet apartment. Rather than let my friendship with her just guarantee a great review of her book, I will use it to vouch for the fact that she's the perfect person to write a food guide for travelers: intrepid, resourceful, curious and (of course) always hungry.

On the road full time since 2008, Jodi has explored the world through food on her blog Legal Nomads. To keep costs down and her palate happy, Jodi strives to eat as locally as possible, chasing down the best street eats, cab driver hangouts and mom-and-pop restaurants. With this handbook, she shares her tips and resources for eating well, cheaply, and safely anywhere in the world. The guide is peppered (pardon the pun) with anecdotes from Jodi and other travelers (blogger Nicola Twilley recommends revisiting a market at different times of the day for different experiences), quirky facts (how about a 1742 recipe for ketchup that will keep for 20 years?!) and guidelines for local dining culture (you'll keep getting your coffee refilled in Jordan until you learn the proper way to shake the cup and signal you've had enough). The book is infused with an enthusiasm and passion for food that's contagious, and you may quickly find that planning a tour of the world through dumplings seems like a must.

Filed under: Food and Drink, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Antarctica, Books, Middle East, Central America, Caribbean