BajaNomad

Cookbook recommendations?

sequoyah - 11-20-2013 at 07:04 PM

I downloaded and am really enjoying Rick Bayliss's "Mexican Everyday" cookbook. I'm learning new techniques and getting more comfortable with ingredients that are new to me.

Any other cookbooks I might try? I am particularly interested in ones I could download to my iPad.

It might be good for me to even get one in Spanish.

Thanks in advance.

BajaLuna - 11-20-2013 at 11:02 PM

I agree! Rick Bayless's recipes are the bomb! I printed off a bunch of our favorites off the web and put in a 3-ring binder to bring down to our house in Baja.

I highly recommend "Frida's Fiestas" by Marie-Pierre Colle. Frida was a famous artist and I believe was married to the famous Mexican muralist, Rivera was his last name can't seem to remember his first name right now. Anyways, It's an awesome Mexican cookbook! Authentic!! Not sure if you can download that online though. Her recipes are to die for!

happy cooking to you!!

[Edited on 11-21-2013 by BajaLuna]

mulegejim - 11-21-2013 at 07:18 AM

Frida Kahlo was in fact married to Diego Rivera.

bajalinda - 11-21-2013 at 07:38 AM

"Mexico - One Plate at a Time" also by Rick Bayless is a good one. (Don't know about downloading it.)

mulegemichael - 11-21-2013 at 07:42 AM

the movie "frida" was a good one also!

Udo - 11-21-2013 at 08:37 AM

I recommend three other books:

The Well Filled Tortilla
Cooking With Baja Magic
Cooking With Baja Magic Dos

Frida's books are superb, and so are Chef Bayless' books. I have all of his TV shows "Mexico, One Plate At A Time" recorded on my DVR. The shows are aired on NPR TV.

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 08:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Udo
I recommend three other books:

The Well Filled Tortilla
Cooking With Baja Magic
Cooking With Baja Magic Dos



Ann Hazard?? Really??

David K - 11-21-2013 at 09:05 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Udo
I recommend three other books:

The Well Filled Tortilla
Cooking With Baja Magic
Cooking With Baja Magic Dos



Ann Hazard?? Really??


Ann and her partner Terry at Viva Baja #3 (2002):


sequoyah - 11-21-2013 at 09:06 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaLuna
I agree! Rick Bayless's recipes are the bomb! I printed off a bunch of our favorites off the web and put in a 3-ring binder to bring down to our house in Baja.

I highly recommend "Frida's Fiestas" by Marie-Pierre Colle. Frida was a famous artist and I believe was married to the famous Mexican muralist, Rivera was his last name can't seem to remember his first name right now. Anyways, It's an awesome Mexican cookbook! Authentic!! Not sure if you can download that online though. Her recipes are to die for!

happy cooking to you!!

[Edited on 11-21-2013 by BajaLuna]


Can't find it as a download, but Amazon has it new and used. Will also look around in the stores here and see if I can find it.

Thanks BajaLuna!

sequoyah - 11-21-2013 at 09:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalinda
"Mexico - One Plate at a Time" also by Rick Bayless is a good one. (Don't know about downloading it.)


I looked at this and it does come in a downloadable form, the that version gets really bad reviews as it is difficult to use. Will look for it in paperback.

Thanks bajalinda!

sequoyah - 11-21-2013 at 09:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Udo
I recommend three other books:

The Well Filled Tortilla
Cooking With Baja Magic
Cooking With Baja Magic Dos

Frida's books are superb, and so are Chef Bayless' books. I have all of his TV shows "Mexico, One Plate At A Time" recorded on my DVR. The shows are aired on NPR TV.


Thanks Udo! Amazon has all three but sadly no Kindle version. I will look for them in bookstores here.

David K - 11-21-2013 at 09:24 AM

I do believe Discover Baja Travel Club has Ann's books for sale.

elizabeth - 11-21-2013 at 09:36 AM

I agree with the Rick Bayless books (any of them) and "las fiestas de Frida y Diego"...but don't miss reading the books of Zarela Martinez, and above all THE expert on regional Mexican cooking...Diana Kennedy, whose incredible research earned her entry to The Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor a non Mexican can achieve placing her alongside kings, queens, presidents and famous authors, humanitarians, etc. Rick Bayless was also given this award last year.

Oggie - 11-21-2013 at 09:50 AM

sequoyah ,

If you ever go to Bahia de los Angeles, stop by the museum and get the cook book the locals put together. It has lots of interesting recipes, most of them can be made with ingredients found in the local markets.

bajalinda - 11-21-2013 at 10:15 AM

sequoyah - Sorry to hear the downloadable version of One Plate at a Time is difficult to use. Good idea to try to find it in paperback or a used hard cover copy (or, hey, put it on your Christmas/holiday wish list!). Mine was given to me as a birthday gift and not only does it have great recipes, it is also a beautiful book.

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 10:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ann and her partner Terry at Viva Baja #3 (2002):



I knew them when they lived in La Bufadora. Nice folks.
I think they left here and went down to TS. Not sure where they are today, but I'm guessing in the states.

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 10:24 AM

Let Google be your library of cookbooks of all types. Google and YouTube are a great kitchen matchup.

Somethin's Fishy in Baja (A Seafood Cookbook)

Pompano - 11-21-2013 at 10:28 AM

Cooking fish in Baja?

Mulege's own Patti Higgenbotham wrote a great cookbook called, 'Somethin's Fishy in Baja' a few years ago. I know she and husband, Tom, personally tested all those recipes...from their long-time & successful fishing trips in the Sea of Cortez. Experience counts!

Here's their boat, 'Strange Lady', used to bring in the tasty dinners.







I'm pretty sure you can still find her book on Amazon.

David K - 11-21-2013 at 10:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ann and her partner Terry at Viva Baja #3 (2002):



I knew them when they lived in La Bufadora. Nice folks.
I think they left here and went down to TS. Not sure where they are today, but I'm guessing in the states.


They had a home in the Cape region (East Cape?), but I recall they returned to her Cardiff home (San Diego County), I think? Her web site is no longer working (BajaMagic.com) unless she changed it... If I find a newer one, I will come back and add it. We share the same web host, Dick VanBree.

Her books are for sale on Amazon:
Cooking with Baja Magic
Cooking with Baja Magic DOS (II)
You can see inside the book at the above link.

[Edited on 11-21-2013 by David K]

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 10:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K

They had a home in the Cape region (East Cape?),



Could be, but I'd have sworn they went from here to Todos Santos. Terry is a photographer......Ann likes to write, and I think the "art community" atmosphere was their goal.
Anyway...I guess it's all just more history.

Hook - 11-21-2013 at 10:43 AM

I doubt I will ever buy another cookbook. I just search the internet and print out the ones that I have tried and liked. I keep a three-ring binder of them.

Bayless is great, of course. But I also like Alton Brown.

¡Baja! Cooking on the Edge

David K - 11-21-2013 at 10:45 AM

This looks interesting:


!Baja! Cooking on the Edge


"On the byways of Baja, there isn't a burrito in sight. Any day, in any town, you can choose from a vast array of made-to-order tacos and salsas, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood c-cktels, grilled corn, succulent fruits skewered with lime and chili powder, vivid fruit juices, piping-hot cinnamon churros, neon-bright candies that stick in your teeth, and frozen treats with names like Angel's Kiss…and that's just the beginning."

--from Chapter 1

Join acclaimed chef and seasoned Baja traveler Deborah Schneider for an intriguing and appetizing journey through the Baja California region of Mexico, from the dusty towns south of the U.S. border all the way down to breezy Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip.

Featuring more than 150 tantalizing recipes as well as vivid stories and images, this deliciously unorthodox cookbook transports you to the real Baja, with all its vibrant flavor and brilliant color, a place still largely undiscovered by los turistas.

The famous Baja fish taco is here, of course, in a mixture of authentic recipes and Schneider's own Baja-inspired dishes--ingenious creations for which Bon Appétit magazine named her "the reigning queen of San Diego chefs."

No matter how far north of the border you may be, with Schneider's easy-to-follow recipes, now you can feast on uniquely Baja delights like Clams in Tequila Butter, One-Pan Paella, Garlic Cilantro Steak, and Chocolate-Jalapeño Truffles. Enjoy.

[Edited on 11-21-2013 by David K]

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 10:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I doubt I will ever buy another cookbook. I just search the internet and print out the ones that I have tried and liked. I keep a three-ring binder of them.

Bayless is great, of course. But I also like Alton Brown.



I'll take Brown's word for a recipe any day.
I never thought Bayless did himself any favors by picking wind-blown locations for his cooking shows. They always left me feeling like I had a mouthful of sand.

All the Books Above Are Great

Gypsy Jan - 11-21-2013 at 10:50 AM

I have Diana Kennedy's books and Rick Bayless' and find them very useful.

The Frida's Fiestas book is marvelous, with great, to-dream-over vintage pictures of her and Diego Rivera's home in Mexico City and the parties they hosted. The home is a museum now.

You might want to check out Cristina's blog - she is extremely knowledgeable about Mexican cooking and very responsive and helpful if contacted: http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/

elizabeth - 11-21-2013 at 11:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I doubt I will ever buy another cookbook. I just search the internet and print out the ones that I have tried and liked. I keep a three-ring binder of them.


Very practical approach, but it just won't work for those of us who like to read cookbooks as if they were novels, and use them more for inspiration that exact recipes!!!

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 11:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
I have Diana Kennedy's books and Rick Bayless' and find them very useful.



I find them to be history lessons and a bunch of nonsense in today's kitchen unless someone has an Aztec fetish.
In my opinion, the most useful Mexican cookbook has always been the vintage Sunset edition. [1969]

The Sangria recipe alone is worth the effort to get the book.

http://lacocinahistorica.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/sunset-mex...


Amazon used books has them for less than a buck, plus shipping.

Hi Dennis

Gypsy Jan - 11-21-2013 at 12:32 PM

Where is the emotican that sticks its tongue out at you?

:lol:

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 12:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
Where is the emotican that sticks its tongue out at you?

:lol:


Jeeezo...I don't know. I always thought that one had heavy sexual connotations. :lol:

Udo - 11-21-2013 at 06:25 PM

That's another one I have.

This one and the two Cooking with Baja Magic are really great books if you are looking for the authentic epic recipes from all corners of Baja.

Thanks for the reminder DK!


Quote:
Originally posted by David K
This looks interesting:


!Baja! Cooking on the Edge


"On the byways of Baja, there isn't a burrito in sight. Any day, in any town, you can choose from a vast array of made-to-order tacos and salsas, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood c-cktels, grilled corn, succulent fruits skewered with lime and chili powder, vivid fruit juices, piping-hot cinnamon churros, neon-bright candies that stick in your teeth, and frozen treats with names like Angel's Kiss…and that's just the beginning."

--from Chapter 1

Join acclaimed chef and seasoned Baja traveler Deborah Schneider for an intriguing and appetizing journey through the Baja California region of Mexico, from the dusty towns south of the U.S. border all the way down to breezy Cabo San Lucas at the peninsula's southern tip.

Featuring more than 150 tantalizing recipes as well as vivid stories and images, this deliciously unorthodox cookbook transports you to the real Baja, with all its vibrant flavor and brilliant color, a place still largely undiscovered by los turistas.

The famous Baja fish taco is here, of course, in a mixture of authentic recipes and Schneider's own Baja-inspired dishes--ingenious creations for which Bon Appétit magazine named her "the reigning queen of San Diego chefs."

No matter how far north of the border you may be, with Schneider's easy-to-follow recipes, now you can feast on uniquely Baja delights like Clams in Tequila Butter, One-Pan Paella, Garlic Cilantro Steak, and Chocolate-Jalapeño Truffles. Enjoy.

[Edited on 11-21-2013 by David K]

DENNIS - 11-21-2013 at 06:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Udo


This one and the two Cooking with Baja Magic are really great books if you are looking for the authentic epic recipes from all corners of Baja.



Ohhh c'mon, Udo..........she never put up a recipe she didn't rip off and bend from another source. I know who she's trying to kid...but who are you trying to kid?
She only did this to sell cookbooks. She couldn't ever care less about cooking.





[Edited on 11-22-2013 by DENNIS]

David K - 11-22-2013 at 11:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Udo


This one and the two Cooking with Baja Magic are really great books if you are looking for the authentic epic recipes from all corners of Baja.



Ohhh c'mon, Udo..........she never put up a recipe she didn't rip off and bend from another source. I know who she's trying to kid...but who are you trying to kid?
She only did this to sell cookbooks. She couldn't ever care less about cooking.





[Edited on 11-22-2013 by DENNIS]


Who are you talking about Dennis, Deborah M. Schneider or Ann Hazard?

DENNIS - 11-22-2013 at 12:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Who are you talking about Dennis, Deborah M. Schneider or Ann Hazard?



Not Deborah.

Mexico Border Flavours: The Beautiful Cookbook

windgrrl - 11-22-2013 at 03:20 PM

...sometimes available at COSTCO for about 30 bucks. Great read, beautiful pics, comprehensive collection of history and wonderful Mexican recipes by region plus bonus section with Tex/Mex recipes. A few sample recipes here:

[url]http://www.goodcooking.com/ckbookrv/spring_05/cookrev12_05/bkmexico12-05.htm[

It would be nice to have authentic Mexican dishes more available and less emphasis on pub style grub or fashion food. But there's probably a reason to cater to the tourist.

[Edited on 11-22-2013 by windgrrl]

BajaLuna - 12-19-2013 at 12:10 AM

Here's another recommendation, just bought myself a new cookbook for Christmas, OLE'!!!

"Pati's Mexican Table", by Pati Janich. I've seen her shows on PBS, and have been wanting to try some of her recipes! Taking the new cookbook with me to Baja, going to try out some of them! She also has a blog with lots of the recipes that are in her book, so there's some freebies there!

sequoyah - 12-19-2013 at 10:51 AM

Thanks for the recommendation. I went to the English bookstore in La Paz last week and she had a few to choose from, but nothing really spoke to me.

Her website looks good and I am going to try some of the recipes she has posted there before trying to find the book.

Thanks!

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaLuna
Here's another recommendation, just bought myself a new cookbook for Christmas, OLE'!!!

"Pati's Mexican Table", by Pati Janich. I've seen her shows on PBS, and have been wanting to try some of her recipes! Taking the new cookbook with me to Baja, going to try out some of them! She also has a blog with lots of the recipes that are in her book, so there's some freebies there!

bajajudy - 12-19-2013 at 11:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by David K

They had a home in the Cape region (East Cape?),



Could be, but I'd have sworn they went from here to Todos Santos. Terry is a photographer......Ann likes to write, and I think the "art community" atmosphere was their goal.
Anyway...I guess it's all just more history.


They DID have an East Cape place, then moved to Idaho, then THEY were no more.
I haven't heard from her in over a year but she was doing well.

I forgot
We have "Cooking with Baja Magic Dos" available on our web site and here in San Jose.

[Edited on 12-19-2013 by bajajudy]

durrelllrobert - 12-19-2013 at 11:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by mulegejim
Frida Kahlo was in fact married to Diego Rivera.


Here's the two of the together in 1932 and her self portrait (1 of 55) painted in 1939.




vandenberg - 12-19-2013 at 01:22 PM

Since we haven't used cookbooks in ages, we gave a bunch of them to a local bookstore. Anytime we want to look up a recipe, we Google it , read them, and then print the one we like. Beats having to store a myriad of books just taking up space.

And BTW, Rivera also lived in Guanajuato and his house there is also a museum.
Remember it vividly, since I got lifted of $700.00 a block from there. :no::fire:

Pompano - 12-19-2013 at 01:29 PM

Remarkable resemblance to a younger Frida.


windgrrl - 12-19-2013 at 01:40 PM

..and now Guy Fieri graces the Baja scene and gives his stamp of approval:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?Nr=Record%20Ty...

What is this world coming to?


Just say no to faux.

BajaLuna - 1-8-2014 at 01:08 AM

Ok so I tried 2 of the recipes in Pati's Mexican Table Cookbook last week when I was in Baja. I cooked her recipe for "red rice" and also "Chicken Tinga" and it was too die for! Cooked it for 7 of our house guests and it got rave reviews!

However, it was a darn good thing the people I cooked for LOVE realllly spicy food because I made a huge mistake, the recipe calls for "one whole canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce and 2 T. adobo sauce", but in my hurriedness I read the recipe as one whole can of chipotle chilies and into the pot they all went LOL! Now you might ask how in the world could one make this mistake, I mean hellooo a whole can of chipotle chilies should have been a red flag, eh...but it wasn't until I squished them all up and added them into the pot and as soon as I did I said OMG UT OH, and it was too late to fish them out. Yes, it was hot, but not inferno! I'm blaming it all on the tequila while I was cooking!!

I shared the cookbook with our neighbors up the road, Ed and Jean from Bahia Asuncion B&B, and Ed made the red posole and said it was very good, he even ordered the cookbook right away!

I will write out the recipe for chicken tinga tomorrow for all of you, I'm hoping you like it as much as we all did!

Cant wait to have company over next time we are in Baja and cook it again! I owe Udo and Jana a dinner after the awesome Lamb chop dinner and gumbo dinner they cooked for all of us! That Udo is a hell of a cook! Seriously, his gumbo is the best EVER! And what a labor of love that is too cook a dish like Gumbo!

so stay tuned, I will share the chicken tinga recipe!

sequoyah - 1-8-2014 at 11:54 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaLuna
Ok so I tried 2 of the recipes in Pati's Mexican Table Cookbook last week when I was in Baja. I cooked her recipe for "red rice" and also "Chicken Tinga" and it was too die for! Cooked it for 7 of our house guests and it got rave reviews!

However, it was a darn good thing the people I cooked for LOVE realllly spicy food because I made a huge mistake, the recipe calls for "one whole canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce and 2 T. adobo sauce", but in my hurriedness I read the recipe as one whole can of chipotle chilies and into the pot they all went LOL! Now you might ask how in the world could one make this mistake, I mean hellooo a whole can of chipotle chilies should have been a red flag, eh...but it wasn't until I squished them all up and added them into the pot and as soon as I did I said OMG UT OH, and it was too late to fish them out. Yes, it was hot, but not inferno! I'm blaming it all on the tequila while I was cooking!!

I shared the cookbook with our neighbors up the road, Ed and Jean from Bahia Asuncion B&B, and Ed made the red posole and said it was very good, he even ordered the cookbook right away!

I will write out the recipe for chicken tinga tomorrow for all of you, I'm hoping you like it as much as we all did!

Cant wait to have company over next time we are in Baja and cook it again! I owe Udo and Jana a dinner after the awesome Lamb chop dinner and gumbo dinner they cooked for all of us! That Udo is a hell of a cook! Seriously, his gumbo is the best EVER! And what a labor of love that is too cook a dish like Gumbo!

so stay tuned, I will share the chicken tinga recipe!


I've been cooking from the recipes on her website. I've had some great successes and some great failures.

I can't believe you put a whole can of chipotle in adobo in a dish!! I find these so hot that I use them very sparingly. So glad your guests are calientephiles.

BajaLuna - 1-15-2014 at 06:35 PM

I guess I never followed up on my post here...anyways for those of you who want her Chicken Tinga recipe just go to her website "Patis Mexican table" dot com and type in "Chicken Tinga" and scroll down to the episode labeled "chicken tinga for today and everyday", the one she did for the Today Show. Also chicken tinga tostadas is on that page too!

ENJOY!!!

Sequoyah.....yeah it was just one of those dumb mistakes that ya realize just the second ya make it and then it's too late!

Have you tried her chicken tinga recipe yet???

sequoyah - 1-16-2014 at 11:35 AM

I have the ingredients for the Chicken Tinga on my grocery list for tomorrow, so I will make it this weekend.

I just downloaded her whole book to my kindle. I was a little disappointed that there aren't that many recipes that aren't already on the website, but that's ok.

Will let you know about the Tinga!

Kalypso - 1-20-2014 at 12:37 PM

I know I'm a little late to this party, but since I own well over 200 Mexican cookbooks in both English and Spanish, I thought maybe I might/should make a comment?

Diana Kennedy...most of her cookbooks are not for the faint of heart. You do need a basic grasp of Mexican cooking techniques which are rooted in the pre-Colombian kitchen, not the European kitchen. They are, however, unfailing good at providing history and context for almost every recipe.

The Art of Mexican Cooking...her 2nd book and probably her best.

The Tortilla Book...now out of print but widely available used, this is a spectacular little book for tacos, tortilla dishes, enchiladas and antojitos.

Essential Mexican...a compendium of her first 3 books

Oaxaca...her last book, based on her extended research there. This is more of a coffee table book than a cookbook, but the photos - mostly hers - and depth and breadth of the recipes is pretty amazing

Rick Bayless
In spite of being overly wordy in many recipes, his recipes are solid, easy to follow and they almost always result in a goo dish. I own all his books except the last one, but these are my 3 favorites:

Mexican Kitchen...his 2nd cookbook and, IMNSHO, his best. Interesting assortment of recipes covering a lot of different styles of cooking

Salsas that Cook...this is a great little book for a person just getting into Mexican cuisine. It starts with what he calls 8 essential salsas. Each recipe provides 3 different yields as well as chile substitutes in case the ones called for in the recipes aren't available, or the cook simply wants to change up the flavor profile. The rest of the book contains 50 recipes all based around the 8 essential salsas.

Mexican Everyday...probably one of the best books taking the laborious and time consuming preparation methods and condensing them into easily completed dishes without losing the basic flavor profiles. The salad section in the front of the book is non-traditional, but the salads are outstanding.

Here are some cookbooks that have not yet been mentioned but should be because they're all really, really good

Mexico the Beautiful...basically a William-Sonoma coffee table book, but oh what a book. It's a well written, well researched cookbook. The recipes are easy to follow and very, very good. This is probably one of the most under-rated Mexican cookbooks because it's a coffee table book, but it is an excellent cookbook.

Truly Mexican, by Roberto Santibañez...this is now the cookbook I recommend for people starting to cook Mexican. The ingredients and methods are clearly explained and the recipes terrific. The guacamole section is outstanding and the carnitas recipe is fantastic. Oh, and the pistachio mole is pretty darn good too.

Pati's Table...Mostly solid recipes. I really like her approach to cooking traditional Mexican food, but I don't always like her flavor profiles.

La Cocina Mexicana: 3 Cultures, 1 Cuisine...this is a really good all purpose Mexican cookbook. It takes a look at how 3 cultures came together to create the cuisine that is now known as Mexican.

Salpicon...a good cookbook for contemporary Mexican. These are restaurant quality recipes that are easily duplicated at home.

Seasons of My Heart by Susana Trilling...probably the best all purpose Oaxacan cookbook in English. I've never had a failed recipe out of this cookbook and it is pretty true to it's Oaxacan roots.

Veracruz by Zarela Martinez...another terribly under-rated and under appreciated cookbook. This is probably the definitive English language cookbook on Veracruz. I've cooked extensively from it; the shrimp recipes are wonderful.

If you read Spanish, Conaculta has 2 cookbook series devoted to the regional cuisine of Mexico. These can most often be found in museum bookstores (CECUT has them) or other government shops that sell books. I do have one of the Baja books, but it was damaged when I opened the package and not terribly readable. The recipes in these cookbooks can be pretty vague as they're mostly from home cooks and oral tradition. But each book starts with a history of the food in the region, the ritual dishes, the everyday and so forth.

Also if you read Spanish...look for any of the cookbooks by Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, such as Verde, Rojo, Salsa, they're quite good, but not in English.

Also look for Ricardo's Diccionario Enciclopedia de la Gastronomia Mexicana, published by Larousse. This is the 2nd edition and is, quite literally, a dictionary, A-Z, of every Mexican ingredient you could ever possibly think of, and then some. It also includes handy charts for things like chiles fresh or dried, beans, moles, and so forth. The English translation of this book has been an on-going project for at least the last 10 years and it's a daunting task because of the breadth and depth of the dictionary. But...if you read Spanish, this is probably one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, tool for Mexican cuisine. It's often available at Ghandi bookstores and occasionally at Sanborn's.

Whew...that's enough...

[Edited on 1-20-2014 by Kalypso]

Absolutely Spot On!

Gypsy Jan - 1-20-2014 at 12:56 PM

Thank you, kalypso, for this detailed rundown.

I am still trying to find the cookbook that was published a few years ago - a Mexican version of Ecoffier's cuisine.

Kalypso - 1-20-2014 at 01:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
I am still trying to find the cookbook that was published a few years ago - a Mexican version of Ecoffier's cuisine.


Is it the Larousse book on Mexican cooking? Larousse de la Cocina Mexicana?

Amazon has it for some ridiculous price, close to $600, from a 3rd party seller. If this is the book, keep checking Ghandi, they do sometimes have it. A friend of min in D.F. has the book and it is quite the tour d'force.

If this isn't the book you're looking for, what is the title, maybe I can help you find it.

sequoyah - 1-20-2014 at 01:56 PM

thank you so much, calypso!

I am sure to return to this post again and again.

I am currently using Pati's Kitchen and really loving it. I made the Chicken Tinga yesterday and it was outstanding.

I feel that I am learning new techniques every day and learning to use ingredients that were previously completely unknown to me.

And having a great time doing it!

Yes, Thank You, Kalypso

Gypsy Jan - 1-20-2014 at 02:02 PM

Do you think that may they would take a $500 peso payment?

;D

Kalypso - 1-20-2014 at 04:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
Do you think that may they would take a $500 peso payment?

;D


Only if they don't know the exchange rate ;D

BajaLuna - 2-4-2014 at 05:25 PM

thanks for the great recommendations, Kalypso! Wow this is great!!

Sequoyah, glad to hear you liked the chicken tinga recipe too!