A Taste of Latin America: Culinary Traditions and Classic Recipes from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico & Venezuela
I have been looking for Latin American cookbook, as my husband who is from El Salvador is always asking if I can try cooking dishes that he grew up enjoying. I have other Latin American cookbooks, but they were not true authentic recipes, and my husband could tell when I tried making something as simple as sopaioillas, a friend pastry filled with mashed pumpkin. So, for the holidays I wanted to surprise my husband by making some dishes he loved growing up and that you can't find around here unless you are having someone from a Latin American background cooking for you. I am Italian so I have to rely on cookbooks to recreate dishes for my husband.
A recent search led me to the "A Taste of Latin America: Culinary Traditions and Classic Recipes from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico & Venezuela". Even though this cookbook doesn't include El Salvador in the mix of countries covered in this cookbook, it does include 10 popular Latin American countries. My husband has told me in the past that these countries all cook up similar dishes, some just use different or spicy seasoning and ingredients.
Last week I received this cookbook in the mail, and before I could take a look at it, my husband saw it and sat down at the table to look through it. He was all smiles as he flipped through the pages as there were so many recipes he loved as a kid and hasn't had in a long time. I gave him sticky notes to tag recipes he would love me to try cooking for him, and by the time I got the cookbook back, it looked like 3/4 of the cookbook pages were flagged. My husband told me that out of all the Latin American cookbooks I have bought or have been sent to review over the years, that this one is the most authentic. When I finally did get a chance to look at it, I was excited to find all the ingredients for the recipes could be found at your local market. In the past when I was trying to make Latin American dishes for my husband we would have to travel a Spanish supermarket to get key ingredients. But, this isn't the case with this cookbook.
I love Latin American food, and found my mouth watering looking through the pages of this cookbook which is filled with full color photos throughout. I personally flagged a handful of soups and chicken dishes to try, and can't wait to get in the kitchen and start cooking up Latin American food for my husband to enjoy, and to introduce my girls to this food, and have my husband share stories of his childhood with them, and how his grandmother used to cook these dishes up for him and his siblings.
Like I mentioned above, this cookbook includes 10 Latin American countries. What I really like about this cookbook is that they break the book down into sections, with each country getting their own section. I have a handful of friends who love doing cultural dinner nights at their house. They choose a particular country and decide on appetizers, a main course with a couple sides and then a dessert. In addition to the authentic meal of that particular country they cook up for their family, they research the country further to learn about traditions, music, famous people, etc. and make a fun learning experience out of it. It is like travelling to another country without having to leave your house. :-) I plan to use this cookbook for some fun Latin American dinner nights in our house, as I introduce the girls to these 10 countries as part of our homeschooling history lessons.
If you are a fan of Latin American food, or like to try other cultural/ethnic recipes, then you will want to check the A Taste of Latin America: Culinary Traditions and Classic Recipes from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico & Venezuela, available now from Amazon for only $13.59. With all the recipes you get, you can't beat the price of this cookbook. This is definitely one cookbook I will be pulling from the shelf to make a dish on a consistent basis.
More about this book:
"Acclaimed chef Patricia Cartin cooks with Latin America’s history and traditions in every recipe. Ten Latin American countries are represented, including Patricia’s native Costa Rica, with dishes that are savory, sweet, spicy, mild, and everything in between. Tempting options for main dishes, vegetables, sides, and desserts, everyone can get creative in the kitchen with flavorful recipes for every part of a successful meal. Food is the perfect gateway to gaining an understanding of cultures and breaking bread with the people of the world."
--GIVEAWAY--
Thanks to the publisher one lucky Inspired by Savannah reader will win a copy of this book to enjoy and try their hand at cooking authentic and tasty Latin American dishes at home.
To enter, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
No comments :
Post a Comment