Review by Booklist Review
For the past 20 years, Zazueta has taught Britons the joys of Mexican cooking. A native of Ensenada in Baja California, Zazueta promotes that area's cuisine as well as that of all the Mexican states hugging the U.S. border and stretching east to the Gulf of Mexico. Given the proximity of northern Mexico to the U.S., the region's cooking is familiar to its northern neighbors and has highly influenced cooking in those bordering U.S. states. Zazueta eagerly acknowledges her fellow northern Mexican neighbors and emphasizes how good this cuisine can be. Especially crediting her father for her love of cooking, Zazueta stresses the centrality of tortillas but notes that in northern Mexican states, flour tortillas predominate over corn. Regional ranching traditions mean that many recipes feature meat, whether beef or pork. Coastal states contribute plenty of fresh seafood. Zazueta thoughtfully designs menus for those wanting to serve balanced meals and lists plenty of vegetarian options. Her London location means that not all Mexican ingredients can be readily sourced; she suggests substituting Turkish peppers and cheeses.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Mexican Food Memories blogger Zazueta explores the unique flavors of northern Mexico in this heartfelt celebration of her culinary roots. Now living in the U.K., Zazueta sprinkles in childhood memories, historical tidbits, and regional variations, and highlights classic recipes originating in the region, including Caesar salad, Baja fish tacos, and margaritas. An opening chapter on "The Essentials" kicks things off with recipes for tortillas and salsas, and succeeding chapters reflect the connection between geography and food. In "From the Garden," Zazueta offers stuffed Anaheim peppers and recalls in the introduction to a recipe for cactus salad that her father tended their family's cactus patch "as if they were another one of his children." Reflecting the region's extensive coastline, "From the Sea" features shrimp ceviche, fried lobster from Puerto Nuevo, and skate wing soup. "From the Ranch" includes recipes for shredded beef brisket empanadas, a hearty wakabaki beef and bone marrow stew from the indigenous Yaqui tribe, and oven-cooked kid goat. Dogos Estilo Sonora, hot dogs with a norteño twist that are "almost as popular as tacos," according to Zazueta, are wrapped in bacon before frying, then garnished with salsa and fried onions. Rounding things out are sweets, drinks, and sample menu plans, especially useful to those new to Mexican cooking. This vibrant collection brings a rich culinary tradition to life. (Dec.)
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