El Paso Chile Company's Texas Border Cookbook [Hardcover]

W. Park & Norma Kerr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 1992

Just a coyote's howl away from the point where three states and two countries come together lies the site of the El Paso Chile Company, a mother/son operation that grew out of Norma and Park Kerr's love of chilis and the unique cuisine of the Southwest. With the expertise of cookbook author Michael McLaughlin, the Kerrs present The El Paso Chile Company's Texas Border Cookbook, the cookbook that makes all the mouthwatering food of the borderland accessible to every home cook. Here you will find over 150 recipes -- including old favorites and innovative dishes -- guaranteed to please the most hot-headed "chile heads" and everyone else who loves Tex-Mex food.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It may seem tired to talk of yet another form of regional American cooking, but the recipes of the Texas-New Mexico-Old Mexico hybrid known as New Southwestern cuisine are worth exploring for their natural mixing of the hearty and the exotic. A recipe for El Paso chile hamburgers, for example, combines standard ingredients like ground chuck and hamburger buns with chilies, jalapenos, and smoked jalapeno-lime mayonnaise. Native recipes like salpicon (shredded beef salad with chipotle dressing) and cream of green chile soup, along with a chapter on game cooking, set the book apart from other contenders in its Tex-Mex/Mexican/Chili Pepper cookbook subgenre. Less appealing, however, is the writing, which is sincere but at times cute and banal ("Opening a jar of one of our products is like taking a first bite; opening the pages of this book and heading for the kitchen we hope will make you really wnat to tuck in"). The Kerrs are founders of the specialty food company that gives the book its title; McLaughlin is the founding chef of the Manhattan Chili Company, a restaurant in New York City. Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Many of the recent titles on the cooking of the American Southwest have offered increasingly exotic interpretations of that cuisine; this latest addition has more in common with Jane Butel's early Tex-Mex Cookbook ( LJ 8/80. o.p.), with recipes for nachos, chilis, burritos, and other dishes most Americans think of as Mexican food. The tone is folksy and, although some ingredients lists are long, few recipes, even the more innovative ones, call for unusual or hard-to-find items. Recommended.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks; 1st edition (August 17, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688109411
• ISBN-13: 978-0688109417
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love this cookbook, January 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: El Paso Chile Company's Texas Border Cookbook (Hardcover)

I've tried many recipes out of this book and they've all been outstanding. The chili verde was excellent, the jalapeno poppers make those frozen things taste like dog doo. This is down home "comfort food" cooking at its best. Not only that, its well written, with mouth-watering descriptions of the foods, it inspires me to cook!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the closest to true TEX-MEX yet!, September 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: El Paso Chile Company's Texas Border Cookbook (Hardcover)

Coming from a true South Texan, I am constantly trying to re-create recipies from the eating establishments around us. I found this cookbook and so far believe the Green Chicken enchiladas can walk on water. I have also prepared the double spoon bread, chipotle-lime mayonaise and the smoke signals barbeque sauce. I usually work with serranos and jalapenos and this book opened up a whole new world of peppers. It is a must have.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Superb' and 'Outstanding' won't do this cookbook justice!, January 20, 1999

By 

candice cobb - See all my reviews

This review is from: El Paso Chile Company's Texas Border Cookbook (Hardcover)

Texas Borders provides wonderful Tex-Mex recipes that are fairly easy to follow. Some of the ingredients may be difficult to find outside of southwest but substitutions could be made. Specific recipes to drool over are Chili Con Queso w/Crab dip (forget the chips, go for a spoon and bowl)and Blueberry Cornbread (I've only followed the non-blueberry version and a sweeter, more flavorful cornbread I've yet to eat). Hoppin' Juan is a delightful twist to the South's Hoppin' John made with green chilies, black-eye peas, and rice. Not only are the recipes wonderful, but Park Kerr's writing style and humor are delightful and a mirror image of the man himself. I try to go by his shop every time I'm in El Paso -- 909 Texas Ave., I think, (Pecan Praline coffee and his Chili seasoning mix are worth the effort). Occasionally I've had the opportunity of visiting when Park is there. He is very witty and personable. His cookbooks are a wonderful addition to my collection and are very entertaining to read. I've even learned to sear those green chilies straight from the store. I will definitely order his new Sizzlin Suppers cookbook. It should be exceptional also.