A TASTE OF SOMEWHERE ELSE

First encounters with Spain and its phenomenal food help a grieving American teenager break out of a downward spiral in this travelogue.

Devastated by his mom’s sudden death—which forced him to leave Manhattan and live in Cleveland with the father he barely knew—16-year-old Miles Henderson finds himself suddenly flying to Madrid. His dad is making a last-ditch effort to save his art house cinema by persuading a renowned director to hold her film’s North American premiere at the Ohio International Film Festival, which he’s hosting. Unfortunately, she’s out scouting locations and they keep missing her. While in pursuit through Toledo, Córdoba, and other historic destinations, they connect with Luis—the Spanish exchange student Miles and his mom hosted a year ago. Luis conveniently serves as their driver (despite being Miles’ age in a country where the driving age is 18), tour guide, translator, and most fetchingly, enthusiastic champion of Spanish cuisine, which repeatedly rocks Miles’ world. Along with nods to select artistic and architectural highlights, Ruhlman calls on his expertise gained writing food books for adults to describe dishes like chocolat y churros, angulas, and pinchos morunos in mouthwatering detail. Readers may note the author’s overt efforts to steer events toward an upbeat ending, but they’ll still be swept along by the protagonist’s intense, even sensuous, responses to what he sees and especially tastes during this salutary, refreshingly offbeat odyssey. The cast largely presents white.

Dishes up a good dose of healing along with Spanish culinary delicacies.