As beautiful as interesting and as useful as easy to follow. Perhaps this is how this cookbook can be described. Its author, Mariana Espinosa de Silva —wife of the former ambassador of Colombia to the White House, Gabriel Silva Luján— shares here many of the dishes served to guests at the diplomatic headquarters during the two years she lived in Washington, during which many of the successful efforts that led to the approval of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries took place. With imagination and taste, this work combines delights of Creole and international gastronomy in a refined synthesis of flavors and presentations. Such is its magnificent achievement. But it is not only the creative recipes that make this book a delicious and interesting addition to the library. The presentation, by Ambassador Silva himself, as well as all the author's texts throughout the 18 sections, reveal many pleasant stories and anecdotes of the Embassy, while giving us a glimpse into diplomatic circles and the cultural life of the great capital. For its part, the visual display of the book, by Greg Powers, one of the most successful photographers in today's culinary world, is extraordinary. His images reveal the essence of the dish and uncover the details of its presentation. Alongside the author, Powers shows the most exquisite corners of one of the most elegant and attractive residences in the country's diplomatic infrastructure. A creative combination of culinary schools and flavors, captured by an inspired lens and seasoned with interesting details, makes Cocina y diplomacia an essential gastronomy book for lovers of the subject and definitive for those who want to understand how the daily life of Colombia's diplomacy in Washington works.