Customer Reviews

The Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking

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When I bought this book I was searching for receipes from Puerto Rico. Being Puerto Rican and having been raised in the United States, I learned to love all the native dishes that my mother would fix for us. As a new military bride I soon discovered that even though I knew how to cook some of the staples i.e. arroz con gandules, carne guisada, etc., there was a lot I didn't know. My mother was not much help because she never measured anything, just threw it together and it was delicious and she was not nearby so I could observe and learn. I remember yearning for mom's delicious "sancocho criollo" and not knowing how to cook it. I went searching for receipes and came upon this wonderful book. It is full of great receipes and resources as to where to find ingredients throughout the USA and Canada. I have received numerous compliments for my "Empanada de Pollo". I have also learned to cook and enjoy foods from other islands such as "Pulpeta" from Cuba and "Flying Fish Pie" from Barbados.

Its a small book that is chock full of 450 interesting Caribbean recipes.Caribbean food is so versatile and this book shows off many foods with many great recipes or all types. It does not have fancy photos or extensive geographic and historical information, This author has just piled many great recipes from all over the Caribbean. The titles also tell which country the recipes come from and that along with the ample index helps you find some really nice recipes you can try tonight. Many recipes are easy to use and have a small list of ingredients which are easy to find in local groceries. I have tried so many in this great book but my favorites that I have tried are rolled steak (CUBA) (9.6/10); tropical chicken (9.6/10) (Jamaica) ; grilled beef and ginger (9.8/10) ; chicken orange (9.6/10) Haiti. I have tried so many recipes and there are still so many I want to try. Get it and see what will interest you.

I live in Miami, with it's proximity to the Caribbean, and use this book to cook my favorite recipes. Also has many local drink recipes. There is a glossary of cooking terms, description of foods and many can be bought in markets everywhere. Some substitutions are given, but it won't taste like being on the islands....and a beach would help too. Many of the recipes are braised and/or stew affairs. Very common in the islands. Expect some heat, but can tone it down without losing the essence. Highly recommend trying it out, as the Caribbean recipes are as different as the diversity of it's people. Put on some island music, and try out the wonderful food. They are not hard at all.

This pocket-size book offers a concise and wide variety of traditional Caribbean food and drink recipes. Ms. Ortiz has certainly done her research. If you like this book, you will love the recently released "A Taste of the Caribbean" by Angela Spenceley. Features cooking tips, information and nutritional count of countless exotic fruits, vegetables and spices, and charming blurbs deciphering local island lingo. This book is a must for any good cookbook library.

Great book to learn the fine art of island cooking! Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz is an epicurian/anthropologist of the highest form.

This classic cookbook, which was originally published in the early 1970s, offers a generous amount of information on ingredients, cooking methods, and equipment plus a large number of recipes that illustrate the great diversity of the region's cooking. Ms. Ortiz explains how foods and cooking techniques from widely scattered parts of the world have been combined with local ingredients to produce an exciting and eclectic cuisine. I found it especially interesting to read about the ways in which different islands interpret the same dish and how some islands have dishes that are uniquely their own. This book was a labor of love for the author, who worked on it for six years. If you can locate a copy, it would still be a worthwhile addition to your kitchen library.

I also recommend "The Cooking of the Caribbean Islands" (Time-Life Foods of the World), for which Ms. Ortiz was the consultant.