Customer Reviews

Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art

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I used to live near the Fonda San Miguel restaurant soon after it opened in Austin, back in the late 70s. One evening of dining, one bowl of corn soup, one avacado & shrimp appetizer and one memorable dinner later, I was hooked for life --- on the food, the presentation and the architecture. Now I live quite some distance away and still go there whenever I get the chance. When I heard, via an interview on our local PBS station, that there was going to be a cookbook full of the fabulous recipes, I advance-ordered it! After receiving it last fall, I ordered several more as Christmas presents for the faraway friends who also think it's the best food & dining experience in Austin. None of us have been disappointed in what we found inside the beautiful covers of this book. The food pictures, the photos of the art that hangs in the restaurant (along with the explanations of where these pictures came from), the stories about the people and how it all began, and best of all, the recipes ... it's all quite wonderful. In the few short months I've had this book, my own cooking has been transformed, and I anticipate years of exploring the delights of the tasty meals found within this amazing book. The corn soup, carne guisada and San Miguel Omelet have become staples at my house already, with occasional forays into the other savory dishes. The recipes are easy to follow and the explanations of where to find and how to prepare the more exotic ingredients are very helpful. The gorgeous pictures are all the motivation I need to try some of the unfamiliar dishes. Bravo to Tom and Miguel for making this fine book happen!

I do not cook- until now. We visited this restaurant in Austin and were so impressed by the beauty of the location that when I went home, I went online and purchased the cookbook. My only intention was to be an "armchair cook" until I read how easy most of the recipes are! I'm shocked to say it, but everything has been easy and delicious. Try it, you'll love it.

The cookbook Fonda San Miguel: Thirty years of Food and Art seems to be one of those titles you see from time to time, when an established restaurant puts together a collection of recipes and a publisher hopes that name recognition will move copies. But open the cover, try some of the recipes, and you find a culinary gem.

Fonda San Miguel is a well-regarded restaurant in Austin offering Mexican cuisine. Author credits are co-founders Tom Gilliland (runs the front of the house) and Miguel Ravago (the chef) as well as "text by" Virginia B. Wood, whom is an Austin writer. The foreword is by noted Mexican cuisine expert Diana Kennedy, who apparently is a friend of the founders and whose work has inspired some of the dishes.

From first glance, the book is visually sumptuous: all color photography of the recipes and art in the restaurant with attractive design, hardbound. And here comes the first of my few quibbles: even though the publisher, Shearer Publishing, may have bought the rights to the photography, or even done it in-house, it should have given full credit to the people responsible for the actual photographic and food styling work. There also should have been better photo editing; I noticed a few out-of-focus images, one of which seemed planned and appropriate although the others looked like mistakes.

The recipes, though - marvelous. I tried four for a family dinner: guacamole, Sopa de Elote (a smooth corn soup served with roasted chiles and cheese), Adoba Sauce (pork marinade made with ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns), and Comote Y Piña (baked sweet potato puree with pineapple). The results were uniformly excellent. Unlike many cookbook recipes, I found that I could use each of these without modification or even adjusting amounts, which is pretty rare. I do wish that when a recipe referred to a preparation or technique elsewhere in the book that there was a page number associated, but, again, I did say quibbles.

The book originally came out in 2005, which does have me wondering why the PR firm that sent the copy is promoting it now, but it's nice to see that someone is taking an active interest in promotion this excellent volume.

Being an ardent and long-time fan of Fonda San Miguel Restaurant, an Austin, Texas, institution, I eagerly awaited the release of the cookbook by the co-founders and owners, Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago. The book is on a par with the restaurant on every level. The photography is spectacular. The photos made me salivate and brought the vibrant tastes of Fonda's food instantly to my mind's tongue. The introductions were like having a conversation with Tom and Miguel - a most intimate book. For those who have never dined at the restaurant this book will be your introduction to the delicious and intriguing foods of interior Mexico. The recipes are well written and easy to follow for cooks of all levels of expertise. With the popularity of Mexican cooking today, the ingredients are easy to procure, so now everyone can have a marvelous personal taste of Fonda San Miguel.

Terry Thompson-Anderson, author of Texas on the Plate

This is one of the best cookbooks I have ever owned! Every recipe so far has been amazingly good! I highly recommend adding this to anyone's cookbook library!

I'm ashamed to say that, although I live in Austin, I have only just recently discovered Fonda San Miguel, but once I did, I was hooked. The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is warm, inviting and beautiful. Now, with this excellent cookbook, I can enjoy the food at home. The recipes are creative and actually not difficult to follow, and seldom require exotic ingredients that are difficult to find. I am now cooking this delicious interior Mexican food at home, which I have never attempted to do before. Being a vegetarian, married to a carnivore, I am often challenged to make meals for the two of us -- no problem with this cookbook. There is enough in here for me to enjoy -- and often with just a little creativity, I can alter a recipe for myself -- and my husband loves his meat-based dishes as well. The book is aesthetically gorgeous, with photography that captures the colors of Mexico, as well as the beauty of the restaurant and of its food. Great gift for anyone who appreciates interior Mexican food, or any fellow fan of Fonda San Miguel!

This book is obviously a labor of love, which is fitting for the 30th anniversary of this beautiful, art-filled restaurant, loved by so many of its "regulars."

This book is a must for anyone desiring to become better acquainted with the food of interior Mexico. For beginning cooks or professionals, there is many a culinary adventure waiting in these pages.

One practical note -- the book is wonderfully organized. A key symbol in many recipes takes you to basic preparation for sauces, rice and beans. Another leads you to ingredients. They have even included a section with addresses showing where to find/order certain ingredients.

This reviewer especially likes the background stories that go with the dishes and the photos of the paintings.

What's more, the photography in this volume is just as appealing as the recipes. Even for those who prefer to let the Fonda San Miguel chefs cook for them, one couldn't conceive of a more attractive or engaging "coffee table book."

"Fonda San Miguel: Thirty years of Food and Art" is no ordinary cookbook. It offers readers a glimpse into the restaurant's unique décor and spectacular traditional Mexican dishes, like huitlacoche. But the cookbook also features Fonda specialties like the Silver Coin Margarita, a watermelon-infused tequila beverage that's perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties and year-round fiestas. Dining at Fonda San Miguel is not simply about a meal, it's about a truly satisfying experience. This book captures everything about Fonda San Miguel that makes it one of Austin's top restaurants.

This book is a must for every Mexian food lover and art. I have attended a cooking glass by them and have eaten brunch at their restaurant. Absolutely fantastic. The almond flan is superb and very easy to prepare in a blender. The chicken in banana leaves is also a standout. Recipes are fairly easy to understand and prepare, it just takes a bit of time.

We love the recipes and the artwork and can't wait to make a trip to Austin to visit Fonda San Miguel!