Customer Reviews

1080 Recipes

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For American devotees of the Spanish kitchen, this is definitely one to own, a publishing event. A physically impressive book, not only for its heft but also its attractive design, durability, and conveniences (American units, satin page markers), it's actually a huge improvement over the Spanish paperback original. The recipes are clearly and well-written, and do represent a nearly exhaustive compilation. But this collection is not without faults.

First, a few words about the presentation. It would have been nice, in light of Spain's tremendous regional diversity, if the geographical provenance of each recipe had been identified. Too often outsiders have a monolithic view of Spain, its culture and cuisine. Spain is not just the land of paella and sangria - and the best Spanish cookbooks illuminate this culinary mosaic. Certainly, Ortega offers a sweeping itinerary, but she's not much of a tour guide. For that matter, it's always nice when cookbook authors introduce their recipes with brief blurbs that pique both the appetite and the imagination. Casas' The Foods and Wines of Spain, Mendel's Cooking from the Heart of Spain, and Von Bremzen's The New Spanish Table all do a great job with this - but it's entirely lacking here. If you're like me and like stories to go with your food, you'll be disappointed. In fact, there's nothing artful or romantic about Ortega's style. This probably reflects 1080's original purpose as a ready-reference for busy housewives. Very much a no-nonsense, "Joy of Cooking" approach. Ortega's recipes are just that - simply recipes. She doesn't even bother to offer side dish or wine pairing suggestions.

My second and major complaint is that Castilian cuisine is so woefully underrepresented. Inexplicably, such cherished and delectable staples as gallina en pepitoria, pollo al ajillo, cochifrito, judiones, caldereta, patatas revolconas, patatas a la riojana, huevos rotos, migas, and sopa castellana are all missing. Most puzzling of all is the omission of cocido, one of Spain's greatest and most truly "national" dishes. What could Sra. Ortega have been thinking?! (If you'd like to cook these dishes, you can find recipes in Casas' volume cited above. For more on Castilian food, see Mendel's book, which provides excellent coverage of southern Castile ("La Mancha"); northern Castilian cooking is still awaiting treatment in English, but if you can read Spanish, Cocina y gastronomia de Castilla y León is a good source.)

All in all, though, this book is recommended for the serious Spanish cook and fills - literally and figuratively - a wide gap on the shelf. Despite the glaring absence of some recipes, many others are here that are available nowhere else in English. Even if it's not the last word, this is a valuable reference worth owning. That said, for the reasons given above I think there are much better books for newcomers to Spanish cooking. If I had to pick one in English, it would be Casas' - the first in English, and still the best.

I went to Spain for a summer because I was in love with the language, and I returned with what can only be described as an obsession with the cuisine. While there, I cooked with Maribel (my madrileña hostess), spent hours wandering through markets in cities all over the country, and passed countless nights hopping from tiny bar to tiny bar sampling tapas with friends. Before I left Madrid, I asked Maribel for guidance in my future cooking endeavors. She beckoned me into her kitchen, reached up to a short shelf above the pots and pans, and pulled down her beloved dog-eared food bible, 1080 Recetas De Cocina. "You must get a copy of this book," she told me in Spanish. "Follow the recipes exactly. This has everything."

A couple weeks later, I purchased a copy of the book in Salamanca. In the three years since my return home, I have carefully steered myself through many rewarding home cooking experiences equipped with 1080 Recetas in one hand and a Spanish-English dictionary in the other. The results are always delightful.

I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this translated version of the book for several months now. I finally received my copy yesterday, and I am happy to report that it does not disappoint! At first sight the gorgeous cover took my breath away. When I opened it I discovered all my favorite recipes inside, lovingly translated to English and converted to U.S. customary units of measurement, beautifully complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Javier Mariscal.

The book does cover everything -- tapas, condiments, sauces, fresh vegetables, quick dishes, and savory meats. The recipes are well written and easy to follow.

To echo Maribel: You must get a copy of this book!

I just got this book as a present. I was very excited to try something from it because it is so graphically and volumetrically impressive. Looked in my cupboard and figured I at least had the ingredients for Quiche (Recipe 56). So I dove right in, and not being much of a pastry chef failed to realize that to "Gradually stir 1 1/4 cups water", into a pastry dough comprising only 1 3/4 flour would be a disaster. About 1/2 cup water into the gradual stirring I realized I'd made more a batter than a pastry dough. Clearly the unit conversions have not been carefully edited, and the recipes have not been tested by an English speaking tester. I worry that unless you already know what you are doing, you will be led astray by this sort of carelessness.

I've been living in Spain for 16 years and can confirm that this is the Bible of Spanish Cooking. Every kitchen in Spain has one falling to pieces and when someone tells you their secret to a dish, the reference recipie is always the 1080 Recetas. I've been translating recipies for years for friends and family and can't wait for them to get the American version of 1080.

PS: I swear I don't have any stock in Simone Ortega's books, but wish I had!

This is the cookbook Spain's households have used over the past several decades for their everyday cooking.

It shares with books like The Joy of Cooking in the US, The Silver Spoon in Italy, and Je sais cuisiner and Recettes Faciles in France that:

- It's been around for a long time
- It has sold literally millions of copies over the years
- Recipes are consistently reliable (actually work, that is the reason of their long-time success), even if some times you can find better ones in other books
- Recipes tend to be simple (as I said, for everyday cooking)
- The design is somewhat sober and the book includes few pictures

Although 1080 Recetas de Cocina contains many Spanish recipes, is not a book specifically on Spanish cuisine, but it aims to contain most of the dishes normally made in Spanish homes, even if some are not originally Spanish. Some foreign dishes are adapted to Spanish taste (e.g. Italian pasta is not normally eaten in Spain "al dente", but a little softer).

1080 Recipes is an excellent basic text for Spanish cooking. It has innumerable fish recipes that are both tasty and simple. Once the basic techniques are mastered the recipes alow for considerable innovation. A good addition to anyone's library of cookbooks.

The book "1080 Recipes" is very informative. Being a first generation American of Spanish decent, many recipes were the same as I remember my mother making. I will try to make some of them now that I have a recipe to follow.
Not happy with the condition of the book. Binding loose and book had a stain on it. I ordered and paid for a new book.
D'Amico Union

There have been thousands of dishes promoting the wide ways to be creative with food. "1080 Recipes" is a massive collection of Spanish cooking recipes. With recipes for almost anything you can think of ranging from simple soups to how to prepare the quail for food, this collection is presented in the first time in English. Many of these dishes may be universal, but the recipes within provide a Spanish twist from Spain's long reaching cultural influence around the world. For anyone seeking a fine tome of cooking knowledge, "1080 Recipes" may be the pick for them.

A fantastic cookbook with superb drawings! The recipes are easy to make with local ingredients. If you enjoy comfort food than you will truly be enamored with this book! If you are interested in traditional/provincial Spanish food you will also enjoy this book. You will enjoy the illustrations that compliment the categories/recipes. There are also wonder color photographs of the finished dishes that give additional perspectives. This book is worth every penny!

I first started traveling to Spain in 2001 and I fell in love with Spanish cuisine. I realized that my good friend, who cooked all the time, was using a book called 1080 Recetas. She said that every Spanish household had it and that it was how she learned how to cook. When I saw that this recipe book was translated in English, I was ecstatic. Finally! I have been cooking a variety of recipes with this book (no picture required in order to get it right, although the illustrations and photos are exquisite) for almost a year. I am COMPLETELY satisfied and I have evolved as a cook. Now, after having lived in Spain for two years, and four years later (and currently) in the States, I can say that I have a bit of Spain with me.