- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Perennial (July 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0067575862
- ISBN-13: 978-0067575864
- Product Dimensions: 35.3 x 25.4 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,272,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
This work combines the pictorial beauty of Mexico with a collection of over 250 authentic Mexican recipes. The recipes are interspersed with informative text on each region's history, geography and cooking traditions.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
An absolutely fantastic cookbook! Not only is it full of fabulous recipes, but as it's name suggests, it is a beautiful book in its own right. There are great photographs of Mexico along with the history and the origins of Mexican cuisine.
It has simple, easy to follow instructions and great pictures of the dishes. Although a few of the recipes can time consuming, it is definitely worth the effort as the end result is delicious and authentic.
There are many quick and easy dishes too. From soups to salsa, margaritas to mole and cactus to cakes!
The book does not contain the standard Tex-Mex recipes that most other books (I have found) do; it is more authentic Mexican cuisine. It does tend to be more 'restaurant' cooking than 'home cooking' according to a friend of ours - and he should know - he is a Mexican himself after all!
It has an excellent glossary that describes some of the different ingredients used in Mexican cookery and also suggests alternatives (wherever possible) for the ingredients that may be 'hard to find'.
Mexico is a favourite holiday destination of ours and this book enables us to bring a little of Mexico home to England with us.
If you want to buy a Mexican cookery book - this is the one. I highly recommend it!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It was almost impossible to get this book for the last six or so years. I bought it just before it went out of print and have used it quite a bit since - probably one of my most used cookbooks. Even if you don't cook it's worth it just for the pictures! If you only buy one mexican cookbook ever, this is the one to buy!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
50 reviews
71 of 73 people found the following review helpful
A must for anyone serious about cooking authentic Mexican
8 July 2001
Format:Hardcover
Of my dozens of cookbooks, I've used this one the most. My wife is from Michoacan which led me to get serious about Mexican cuisine. I believe the two essential Mexican cookbooks are this one and Rick Bayless' first cookbook: Authentic Mexican. Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook is a visual masterpiece filled with many great recipes. Every recipe has an accompanying photograph. Bayless' book has superior narrative (but short on pictures), with great stories attached to the recipes -- and Bayless attends to detail in recipe instructions like no other.
Getting specific. Sopas/Caldos. For Americans, soup is probably not the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of Mexican cuisine. It's their best kept culinary secret. This cookbook is filled with outstanding soup recipes. Caldo Tlalpeno, Mole de Olla, Pozole, and Sopa de Tortilla are regularly served in the fall and winter months at our house. There are other great ones we've tried as well: Minguichi (chile and cheese soup), Sopa de Nuez con Chipotle (Pecan soup with chipotle sauce), and Sopa de Acelgas (Chard soup).
The first recipe I ever tried from this book was the Quesadillas. I didn't have fresh masa, so I used masa harlina, which worked surprisingly well. I have since found a Mexican market that sells fresh masa, so I always use that now. I guarantee that you'll never be satisfied with a warmed over store-bought flour tortilla with some cheese thrown inside, once you've made an authentic quesadilla! My Michoacan in-laws were impressed!
If you can get fresh masa, the Picaditas (masa boats) will impress any guest - and they're SO SIMPLE!
I've also tried the more complex and labor-intensive recipes such as Lomo de Cerdo con Salsa de Tomate y Rajas de pimiento Morron (Stuffed pork loin with tomato sauce and green peppers). My mother loved it. The pork is stuffed with fresh spinach and cheese. I highly recommend it!
Next. Salsa. The book has eight outstanding salsa recipes. The mouth-watering pictures and recipes of these eight salsas on Pages 199-200 should alone drive you to buy the book.
Writing this review makes me determined to try one recipe out of this book that I've been dying to try ever since I got it: Tortitas de Tuetano (Fresh masa mixed with marrow topped with an avocado sauce). I've tried several stores, but haven't yet located anyone who will sell me marrow bones.
I very recently tried the recipes for Chiles y Verduras en Escabeche (Pickled chiles and vegetables) from this book and from Bayless' Authnetic Mexican. I do prefer Bayless' version. And if you are trying to make tamales or mole sauce for the first time, I suggest you go with Bayless' instructions.
I confess I've never tried to make any of the dessert recipes in this or any Mexican Cookbook.
Now, the bottom line for many potential cookbook users is, Can I easily get the ingredients? If you can get fresh masa, mexican cheese (such as queso cotija or queso fresco - don't go with the feta mentioned as a possible substitute), tomatillos, and dried chiles such as ancho/pasillas and New Mexico chiles, you're in great shape. And fresh masa is actually used in only a small proportion of the recipes.
In sum, get Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook and Rick Bayless' Authentic Mexican. Great investments. Those who appreciate good food will love you.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Authentic yet simple
30 April 2003
Format:Hardcover
This book is a classic of Mexican Cuisine. It's not as anal-retentive as Diana Kennedy and more appealing than Rick Bayless. The recipes are truly authentic and I have lived in Mexico for many years, researching the cuisines of Mexico. This book contains the majority of the most common dishes cooked in homes in Mexico and a great deal of the "alta cocina" works as well. I have made 75% of the dishes in this book and have served them to Mexican friends to rave reviews. This is the real thing. Marilyn Tausend collaborated in this book and it shows. She is an unsung hero of Mexican Cooking. There are others better known, but few that can take a recipe and make it easy to follow, yet as authentic as is possible with ingredients available in the US. If you want to cook like a real Mexican chef, get this book!
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
The most authentic Mexican Cookbook I've ever used.
23 Jan 1997
Format:Hardcover
I lived in central Mexico for several years. I fell in love with the cuisines of the country, and Mexico the Beautiful is one of the most authentic and varied cookbooks I've found, and my bookshelf includes the works of Diana Kennedy, considered by most to be the authority on Mexican cooking.. My Mexican relatives and friends were wowed by the recipes I made from this book.Several actually asking me jokingly if I were sure that I didn't have any Mexican blood, because my food was so authentic. They all agreed that they were not only delicious, but good representations of the cuisines.
I also found it helpful to know what region the recipe originated from, and each recipe has a corresponding photo.
This is absolutely the best Mexican cookbook I've ever seen.
I'm sure you won't use this as is, but feel free to change it around.
This will be my second copy, as the original was destroyed in a flood. I just can't live without this book.
I also found it helpful to know what region the recipe originated from, and each recipe has a corresponding photo.
This is absolutely the best Mexican cookbook I've ever seen.
I'm sure you won't use this as is, but feel free to change it around.
This will be my second copy, as the original was destroyed in a flood. I just can't live without this book.
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