Picture of author.

Maricel E. Presilla

Autor(a) de Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America

9 Works 367 Membros 8 Críticas

About the Author

Includes the name: Maricel Presilla

Image credit: Maricel E. Presilla (l) and Gloria Soto (r)

Obras por Maricel E. Presilla

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Membros

Críticas

I bought this book several years ago, along with a molinillo at a (then) small and artisanal chocolate maker in Somerville, MA. I was drawn in by the cover, and didn't really engage with it much before buying it, assuming it would be a "coffee-table" book with recipes. Instead, this is an extraordinary account of the different historical and cultural contexts of cacao, with a clear explanation of the different types of plants, provenances, and uses by chocolate makers. The level of detail, particularly in the botanical section, is extensive, and Presilla manages to find a great tone that strikes a balance between journalism and historiography. This is not a book for chocolate snobs who have no interest in the beginning and end of the journey of cacao. The author offers nuanced advice for how to learn about and appreciate chocolate and is even-handed in her assessments: "...today even the largest commercial makers have hopped on the bandwagon for boutique-type labeling with identification of national origin. This information is helpful to a point, but it is not an infallible clue to quality. The fact that the cacao was grown in an exotic-sounding country says very little about the cacao itself--for instance, the variety or the particular region of origin within a country" (140). Presilla honors the rich traditions of using cacao amongst indigenous peoples in Mexico and South America and provides a very informed cultural understanding of the import of cacao in both anti-colonial and colonial contexts.

And then there are the recipes. Admittedly, one will likely need access to high quality chocolate, nibs, and or cacao beans, but Presilla offers some online sources for purchase (I have not checked these out). The photography is gorgeous, and indeed...it will not be long before I try Maya-Mediterranean Chocolate Rice Pudding of her "Imagined" Maya Turkey Soup-Stew with Cacao and Chiles.

This is a remarkable book-- "illustrated reference" is the description on the dust jacket, but I think that does not adequately describe what it offers. If you have interests in global cuisine and a cultural history of food, this should be part of your library. Definitely one of the most interesting books I have read in the genre.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
rebcamuse | Jun 18, 2021 |
SS
Caribbean Christmas celebrations (Cuba, Puerto Rico) told by a newcomer. Historical references of Columbus' first Christmas and Africans contributions to typical Christmas food. Contains recipes.
 
Assinalado
Lou_Sanz | Jun 23, 2020 |
Some time ago I was in a bookstore, and happened to notice a shelf of marked down books. Just by chance, you understand. Anyway, one of the books was a big cookbook in English of Latin American food. [Gran Cocina Latina]. Turns out the Cuban author studied medieval history in Spain and the USA, and has travelled all over Latin America, eating and cooking as she goes. If you happened to live in a US city with a big Latino population and had a lot of time (and sometimes money) not to mention a big family to eat the results, you might be able to cook from this book. In general, I can't get the ingredients, I can't stand in the kitchen that long, and there are only two of us eating. I have been fascinated by her description, but have not felt like cooking from this book.

Now after over 400 pages (still over 400 to go) I have actually made something. The Empanada Gallega de Chorizo is not something I am likely to ever make again, but it tasted good, and looked wonderful.

The cookbook is fascinating because it is so wide ranging within the Spanish and Portuguese speaking world. On the other hand, so often she talks about the common cooking themes that come from medieval Spain and were adapted to American ingredients, but maintained that Iberian heritage. Strange, usually it is cooking methods that I recognize from my (New) English heritage, from living in India as a child AND from the Austrian cuisine I have learned more recently. Let's take the empanada. This is a great idea the Spanish had. Take dough, wrap it around a filling, and cook it. But it certainly isn't just the Spanish who figured that out.

This book is certainly fascinating from an anthropological point of view, but it is hardly a usable cookbook for most people. For some people of Latin heritage it might induce home sickness or nostalgia. I'm just not convinced that it needs over 800 pages for that.
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
MarthaJeanne | Feb 15, 2020 |
Learn from the best. “Peppers of the Americas: The Remarkable Capsicums That Forever Changed Flavor” is written by Maricel E. Presilla, a three-time James Beard Award-winning author and chef-restaurateur who is an expert on Latin American cooking. A world-traveler, food historian, and botanical explorer, the author explains the origins of chile peppers and how they migrated the globe to become an essential food in the cuisines of many cultures. This encyclopedic volume is a masterful study of all things peppers, and it is beautifully photographed and illustrated. Ms. Presilla, who grows more than 200 varieties of peppers at her New Jersey home-base, provides tips on pepper growing, handling, drying, smoking, storing, fermenting, and pickling—also on making chile salts, dried powders, and pastes. The recipes are what you would expect from an accomplished chef, and they include such dishes as: “Tropical Shrimp Ceviche with Yuca”; “Pepper Steaks with Pepper Leaf Chimichurri”; “Big Tamale Pie Filled With Chicken in Chile Ancho Adobo”; “Chipotle-Vanilla sauce over Stuffed Piquillo Peppers”; “Red Snapper in a Spicy Creole Sauce”; “Panfried Pork Steaks in Guajillo-Puya Adobo”; “Oaxacan Tomatillo and Dried Chile de Arbol Salsa over marinated, glazed slow-roasted slab bacon in a hot hibiscus and chocolate adobo”; “Guatemalan-Inspired Melon and Pineapple Salad sprinkled with dried chile cobanero and cacao nibs”; and “Spicy Pickled Cucumbers”. Definitely written by a well-versed aficionado, with great love of subject, “Peppers of the America” will add heat, color, flavor and a treasure trove of information about a fiery food that will warm your cooking spirit and have you finding your own new ways to pepper up your culinary repertoire.

Book Copy Gratis Lorena Jones Books via Blogging for Books
… (mais)
 
Assinalado
gincam | 2 outras críticas | Mar 27, 2019 |

Prémios

You May Also Like

Estatísticas

Obras
9
Membros
367
Popularidade
#65,579
Avaliação
4.0
Críticas
8
ISBN
13
Línguas
1

Tabelas & Gráficos