The recipes sound good, they are introduced by the part of the books they are in, BUT - there are no photos of the finished dishes. Being it's a 'coffee table' kind of book/present, we were surprised and a bit disapponted!

this guide was okay, although I wasn't too upset when I unwittingly left it at the Dumbarton House in DC when a fire alarm hit. kind of glad really not to have to lug it back in my suitcase. lots of text, not many photos, and not obvious to find what I was looking for at 'that' precise moment. the national geographic guide is lighter, has more photos, and has some walks to do around the city as well.