Joan Peterson: writes and publishes the EAT SMART series of guidebooks for travelers and cookbook lovers, who want to get to the heart of a country’s culture through its cuisine. Her richly detailed and well-researched Eat Smart culinary guidebooks explain how to find the most delicious, authentic, and adventurous eating experiences. They offer an enjoyable way to explore—both at home or abroad—the clues that food provides about national identity and culture. Each guide provides a rich, historical perspective on the origins and varieties of food, and extensive background on regional dishes. For travelers, two extensive, bilingual dictionaries are provided, which simplify navigating menu and market. Also included are useful phrases and handy shopping tips. To date Joan has covered the cuisine of Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Morocco, India, Peru, Sicily, and Norway, and has now begun to contract with others to write guides. The first not written by her features the food of France and was written by Madisonian Ronnie Hess. For fun Joan leads culinary tours to some of the destinations she’s written about. She’s a founding member of the Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW). The Wisconsin Local Foods Journal, which Joan co-wrote with CHEW president Terese Allen this year, marks a rewarding departure for her from writing about international cuisines.