Customer Reviews

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

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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

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.

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.

I own quite a few Southwestern cookbooks and my parents lived in Southwest for quite a few years. I find this cookbook to be the best resource for authentic Southwestern recipes. Highly recommended.

It's a good book, but disappointing that on page 176 the recipe ingredients are omitted. They didn't proof it?

Likely to be the definitive book in the field, here's the most scholarly, thoughtful, and authentic treatment of Mexican-American cooking yet printed, and one of the finest cookbooks of the year.

Jim Peyton has written a really terrific book. This is one that should be in everyone's collection.

This book should be in everyone's collection.