I was given this book as a gift. While I like the concept of making regional dishes healthy, I don't actually agree with the author that her versions are good for you. She uses a lot of sugar substitutes, which I would never use. She even went so far as to recommend "sugar-free maple syrup". This is not a real food item and in no way resembles actual maple syrup. I would rather use whole, real food items in a moderate way than chemicals. However, reading this book did remind me of a lot of old favorites that I haven't had in a while, and it did inspire me to cook some of them soon.