Customer Reviews

False tongues and Sunday bread: A Guatemalan and Mayan cookbook

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
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This is a fabulous, very authentic cookbook, covering Central America and the Yucatan. It is truely a wonder. The recipes bring back fond memories to my husband who is Salvadoran. Very traditional favorites. This book is out of print and extremely hard to find. I found mine at the public library. It appears I was the only one taking it out. In fact I took it out so many times that I asked the librarian if they would be willing to sell it to me. I think the book spent more time in my kitchen than in the library. The librarian gave it to me for almost nothing and in exchange I made a donation to the book fund. (There is one other copy in the South Central Wisconsin Library system so others can still check it out). If you love comida tipica, this book is for you. Don't hesitate to pick up a used copy here from Amazon... It is well worth the investment! Buen provecho. Saludos a Copeland Marks.

If you at all enjoy experimenting with new recipes, and learning of a new culture in the process, this is an excellent book. Each recipe is from the indigenous Mayan Indians of southern Mexico and Guatemala. Marks does an excellant job of bringing their culture into our world. These are recipes not previously ever recorded for the outside world, but passed from generation down. If ingredients are difficult to find, Marks experimented enough in his NY apartment, to find a useable, yet easy-to-find substitute, with similar results. Many of these dishes I have eaten in Guatemala, and the recipes result in that same familuar and culturally appropriate flavor. Great book!

I found this book after I had moved to States from Guatemala in the 90's. It was a God's sent. At the time, I didn't know how to cook anything. I found the recipes easy to follow and the flavors were right on. Copeland Marks goes into great detail about different ingredients and how to get them here in the USA, this section is at the beginning of the book. I was sad that the book could not be found for a while since it was out of print. A lot of my friends wanted one... Now, I have been telling them that they can buy it. It is an absolutely treasure to me.

I found this wonderful book at our library several years ago and I am so happy to finally own a copy. Unlike many cookbooks with recipes that have not been tested, it is obvious the labor of love this book must have been. The Arroz con Pollo Guatemalan style is a superb dish and so delicious (and was easy to prepare in quantity). I love the recipes, the food histories of the Central American countries and the "Ingredients and Cooking Methods" section. The author does a great job in recommending substitutions available in American markets. If you need cooking illustrations, this book is NOT for you. Recipes range from simple to more difficult, but the directions are well written. Excellente!

Great Book and great Recipes! Love it and the food. I was shocked to see what a 'New' one cost but after some Amazon search time, found a great USED one for 80% less... The book was like new except for a few scratches on the plastic book covering. Check it out if you can and like to cook old and varied Latin American Dishes....

My general love of cooking and love for Latin American cooking led me on a "if I can only have one" cookbook search - not that I DO "only have one" :-) I wanted something that gave me more than just the usual casual listing of recipes with a liberal sprinkling of anecdotes. Copeland Mark's accomplishes what is clearly a labor of love with this work, in that it is both comprehensive and insightful. Centered around Mayan cooking styles, and yet differentiating sub-cultures within that category by both region and cooking styles, he accomplishes both a study of the modern day Mayan food culture and a great recipe resource. If you love the taste of tamales, tortillas, all formes of carne, and pungent sauces, this book provides an adventure that begins with, and then goes far beyond, the traditional corn kitchen.False Tongues and Sunday Bread