Latinísimo

May 1, 2023

Winner of a Les Dames D'Escoffier M.F.K Fisher Grand Prize Award for Excellence in Food Writing, Gutierrez collects 300-plus recipes from across Latin America in Latin�simo, ranging from Tortillas de Nixtamal (Fresh Masa Tortillas) to Pastel de Tres Leches (Tres Leches Cake). Prepub Alert.

Copyright 2023 Library Journal

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2023
Food historian and writer Gutierrez's (Latin American Street Food, 2022) fifth cookbook is possibly her most ambitious, with recipes that delve into cuisines from across Latin America, delivering classic, home-cooked dishes readers could find in the kitchens of 21 different countries. The first chapter contains essential building blocks, covering sauces to spices, broths to crepes. Following chapters divide the recipes by essential ingredients, with introductions that highlight the importance of each--historically and today--and share the dish's country of origin, difficulty, and cooking time, along with other great reading. For home cooks being introduced to new ingredients, Gutierrez gives plenty of tips for procuring and substitutions. Her extensive research is evident as she shares a concise culinary history of Latin America, including influences like immigration, colonization, and Indigenous food. Photos, while not numerous, are beautiful. The focus here is on recipes, and the author's warm voice keeps the book from becoming encyclopedic. The breadth of this cookbook, combined with its practical charm, makes this a perfect choice for libraries looking to get a great, all-in-one Latin American cookbook.

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June 10, 2024

This historically informed and both geographically and culturally driven wide-ranging recipe collection by the Les Dames D'Escoffier M.F.K. Fisher Grand Prize winner Gutierrez (a food historian and cooking instructor who was born in the United States and grew up in Guatemala) is organized by staple ingredients, including corn, beans, chiles, cacao, and coconut. The recipes span Latin America, covering 21 countries, from Mexico to Peru to Cuba, and traveling across widely disparate geographies and culinary traditions. Starting each chapter, heading most recipes, and appearing throughout the book are notes that provide detailed context for the history of the food, its importance, and its consumption. Gutierrez is a nationally known expert on the foodways she addresses and has written four books previous to this encyclopedic offering, including Latin American Street Food. Her focus is on educating readers while providing delicious example recipes for every foodway she covers. VERDICT A key title for all collections. Try bori-bori, a corn dumpling soup, go all in making tortillas or arepas, or bake the pastel de quinoa, almendra y zanahoria, an almond, carrot, and quinoa cake served in the afternoon in Bolivia.--Neal Wyatt

Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.