La Cocina de la Frontera: Mexican-American Cooking from the Southwest (Red Crane Cookbook Series) [Paperback]

James W. Peyton (Author), Andrea Peyton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Red Crane Cookbook Series | Publication Date: April 1994

This book traces the cooking from its Indian roots, through its development in response to European influences, to its arrival in the American Southwest.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Border Regional Library Association Southwest Book Award, 1995

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Red Crane Books; 1st edition (April 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1878610341
• ISBN-13: 978-1878610348
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,143,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jim Peyton has written four well regarded books on Mexican cooking, history, and culture that cover every aspect of Mexican cooking. He also authored the chapters on Mexican food and drink for the Lonely Planet guidebooks to Mexico, Baja California, and Mexico's Pacific Coast. For two years in a row, Jim's recipes were featured in Houghton Mifflin's "The Best American Recipes."

For more information on Jim, including many recipes and blogs on Mexico and Mexican food, please visit his new website at www.lomexicano.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A FINE GUIDE TO MEXICAN CUISINE, June 14, 2005

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Cocina de la Frontera: Mexican-American Cooking from the Southwest (Red Crane Cookbook Series) (Paperback)

Those of us who live in the Southwest simply have to have a periodic Tex-Mex fix, so we head for the nearest drive-in or our favorite Mexican restaurant. One of the best things we've done is buy a copy of La Cocina De La Frontera, a comprehensive collection of recipes for preparing Mexican-American dishes, and also a view of this particular ethnic cuisine from both a historical and culinary perspective.

Emphasizing the styles found in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, the 349 page volume offers everything from Bebidas (drinks) to Postres y Dulces (desserts and sweets). In between you'll find flautas, enchiladas, beans, quesadillas, burritos, chiles relenos, and a host of other delicacies that Mexican food aficionados find irresistible.

After 18 years of research, James Peyton has collected what is in my estimation one of the finest guides to this popular cuisine. Also included is an appendix of mail order sources for some of the ingredients, plus hints for adapting recipes to low-fat and low-cholesterol diets.

- Gail Cooke

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Whole Bunch of Good Recipies, December 20, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Cocina de la Frontera: Mexican-American Cooking from the Southwest (Red Crane Cookbook Series) (Paperback)

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the title -- Mexican-American Cooking. What we typically call 'Mexican Food' in this country really isn't at all like the foods that the typical restaruant will have as you progress away from the American influenced border towns. Mexican-American food is derived from the foods of interior Mexico, but these food have been heavily modified as they crossed border. And YES, Mexican-American food is the style of food that I happen to like.

Then when he was talking about favorite Mexican restaurants and he said 'These were places you needed to be - at least once a week.' And he started talking about going into withdrawal, he was talking my language. To feed my withdrawal symptoms I've gone seeking Mexican restaurants in London (much improved in recent years), Bremen Germany (the Guacamole was Pink), Taipai (not too bad if you just don't think of it as Mexican).

Anyway, he says that he has been collecting the recipies for 18 years. And he's done a supurb job. I've found a lot of things that I want to try.

One small complaint - in the appendix he lists some mail order sources for ingredients. Fine, but he doesn't give web sites where the products might be ordered. And, another source that I've found excellent for hard to find items is the Gourmet Foods section at Amazon. But a new hispanic grocery store just opened across town so I guess I really don't care.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, May 13, 2006

By 

Billy Goat Ranch "Art, Craft, & Book Junkie" (Hill Country, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: La Cocina de la Frontera: Mexican-American Cooking from the Southwest (Red Crane Cookbook Series) (Paperback)

I am not sure how I overlooked this book. The author deserves the top awards anyone can heap upon him. Well researched, and the history is extremely good. The recipes are extensive, wonderful, and covering every region. An outstanding book. Now I will have to look for other cookbooks from this author.