Daisy Cooks: Latin Flavors That Will Rock Your World [Hardcover]

Daisy Martinez (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 14, 2005

Julia Child introduced us to French cooking. Lidia Bastianich introduced us to Italian cooking. Now Daisy Martinez will introduce all of America to Latin cooking-her way. In a country where salsa now outsells ketchup, Daisy Martinez is out on a mission to change the way we cook. In her new cookbook, a tie-in to her public television show, Daisy introduces us to the mouthwatering meals of her Latin ancestry-and not just to the pork, beans, rice, and burritos many people associate with Latino culture. Here are Stuffed Yucca Fritters, Peruvian Minestrone, and Braised Chicken with Figs, to name just a few. By combining the delicious flavor of Latino cultures with ingredients available in any kitchen, Daisy shows us how to -daisy-fy+ regular meals and turn them into something extraordinary.Divided into twelve chapters such as Turnovers and Tamales, Appetizers and Little Bites, Soups and One-Bowl Meals, and Chicken, Duck, and Turkey, and filled with more than 200 recipes and color photographs throughout, this is a cookbook that will introduce a new culinary star.Special features in the book include: l-Daisy+s Top Ten: palate-rocking staple dishes and condiments that will expand your repertoire.l-Daisy+s Corner: a series of essays about the intersection of food, family, and culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Martinez serves up a jazzy tie-in to her new public television cooking show of the same name, and while the subtitle's claim that the recipes within will "rock your world" is pure hyperbole, Martinez does offer a decent introduction to Latin "soul food." The overly chirpy tone can feel cloying, yet Martinez succeeds in demystifying staples of Latin cooking. Starting with important such basics as Sofrito (a blend of onions, peppers, tomatoes and herbs that adds "zing" to dishes), Achiote Oil (which also adds a "quick kick") and Recaito (a Sofrito-like seasoning, sans the color and extra liquid), she moves on to tapas, soups, meats, vegetables, starches and desserts. Recipes for the truly cooking-impaired (e.g., Guacamole, Black Beans, Basic White Rice) are unnecessary, but exotic dishes like Breadfruit Tostones (twice-fried crispy chips), Sole Baked in a Banana Leaf, and Stuffed Flank Steak are welcome. Health-conscious readers, beware: this cuisine is laden with animal products, carbs and things fried and refried, and Martinez admits to leaning toward too-large portions, which she calls "Daisy Servings." Still, anyone new to Latin classics like Paella, Ropa Vieja, and Dulce de Leche should find plenty of motivation within these colorful pages. Photos. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Daisy Maria Martinez was born to mainland Puerto Rican parents in Brooklyn, New York, where she lived at her grandmother's house until she was almost five years old. Her extended family includes relatives from Central America, Spain, and other parts of the Spanish-speaking world. She has modeled and acted in commercials and in numerous films including "Carlito's Way" and "Scent of a Woman." She attended Long Island University and the French Culinary Institute before establishing her catering business, The Passionate Palate. Daisy lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (September 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401301606
• ISBN-13: 978-1401301606
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 1 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (117 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #204,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Latin American

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It actually did rock my world! October 11, 2005

By Theresa Reed

Format:Hardcover

I do agree with some of the reviewers that Daisy can be somewhat perky and annoying in her television show - but every time I watched it, I found myself salivating over those dishes. I anxiously awaited this book, thinking about all the things I would make - especially the homemade sofrito as I was sick of buying the frozen stuff at my local bodega.

I was not disappointed! This book is gorgeous to look at - nice pictures of the food and Daisy's beautiful family. And the recipes are not hard at all. I have been cooking away like a fiend - recreating many of the recipes featured on her PBS show. No one here has been unhappy - or hungry since! The sofrito recipe makes all that frozen stuff appear flavorless! We especially enjoyed the Chicken Diablo recipe - really amazing! Daisy DOES rock!

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this cookbook! October 6, 2005

By Joanne

Format:Hardcover

Unlike another reviewer, I find Daisy a joy to watch and listen to. She is passionate about her cooking and not 'over the top' as some TV cooks are where you need to press the "mute" button to deal with it! I, too, tried her 'Grandma's pork chops' b/c they seemed the simplest one to get started with and they were...not to mention absolutely delicious. The marinade made them tender and moist just like she said it would; and they had such a great caramelized appearance, you ate them with your eyes before taking a bite. Hands down though, if you buy this book for her "yellow rice" recipe alone, it's worth the price of admission. It is so incredibly flavorful and delicious, I never would have thought a rice recipe would have brought me to my knees. I get WOWS everytime I serve it to someone new--even my Latina daughter-in-law! I find this book serves the purpose (for this "Italian girl") of offering up to me the basics of another culture's dishes that are new to me to make; and in the process, it demystifies it. Being a passionate cook myself, I like using new ingredients I never would have used before yet see all the time...tomatillos, yucca, chorizo, etc.. We all eyeball these items regularly in the produce dept with a feeling of reservation, not knowing what we would ever do with them, so we leave them behind. Now we can "test drive" them. I appreciate her teaching us how to make the flavor bases of many Latin dishes...sofrito, recaito, etc...similar to the pestos and tomato sauces that are common in Italian cuisine, (of which we couldn't live without). When I make Daisy's sofrito, I freeze about 1/2 cup's worth in several baggies; that way, I can easily pull one out anytime I need it. Daisy's sofrito, easy to make, is "the" big flavor to her tasty recipes! Any one of her sev'l versions of Paella (seafood, vegetable, etc.) is the only way to go. (I use authentic Spanish smoked paprika and short-grain "Bomba" rice, available online, but long-grain rice is still good). To learn about and use some of the different Latin spices, vegetables, meats, etc.--this is what makes cooking an exploration that's educational and fun. Chapters are well organized, and the book is easy to use. There is enough here in all food categories (soups, one pot meals, vegetable side dishes, snacks, etc) that anyone should find appealing enough to experiment with...and isn't that what cooking is all about anyway?

64 of 69 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Daisy! As always, doing her thang! September 23, 2005

By Deborah M. Hons

Format:Hardcover

I have been a fan of Daisy's since they began showing her cooking show this summer on PBS. She is a real person, cooking real food to those of us familiar to traditional hispanic cusuine. As another reviewer said, they are not extraordinary recipies but they all have a Daisy-fied flare and are not typical to most non-hispanics. You will learn new spins on old dishes and if you watch the syndicated program, you know that Daisy does it all from the heart. She is awesome and so is this book! :)