Mezcla, Spanish for "mix," "mixture," "blend" or "fusion," perfectly describes Ixta Belfrage's passion for her Brazilian, Italian and Mexican heritage that inspires "food that crosses cultures and transcends borders." In Mezcla: Recipes to Excite, Belfrage (Ottolenghi Flavor, with Yotam Ottolenghi) divides her inventive recipes into "Everyday" and "Entertaining," urging home cooks to create what matches their mood. More than half of her dishes are "veg," which she perfected while working with renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Jalapeño, habanero, Scotch bonnet and Calabrian chiles appear in many of her recipes, but Belfrage suggests milder substitutions for cooks who "don't like heat." From the Brazilian- and Cuban-influenced Upside Down Plantain Omelet, to a Tomato and Lime Galette with Crunchy Spelt Chipotle Pastry, adventurous cooks will delight in the gustatory travels they take with Ixta Belfrage. --Cheryl McKeon, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.