Customer Reviews

Mexican Modern: New Food from Mexico

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Overal I enjoyedMexican Modern: New Food from Mexico. At first I wasn't sure what to expect because modern can mean different things to different people. Sometimes in cookbooks it seems to suggest fusion food or food that has been updated in some way. In the case of this book, it seemed to mean that the food goes beyond the expected items that most Americans associate with Mexico. That means things like crab and avocado ravioli and stuffed chilies that include a savory-sweet mix of fruit and ground meats and a walnut sauce. However, there is nothing in here that seems too out of the box or that would be inappropriate for a home cook. One of the recipes did call for a foam, but otherwise the components are very accessible.

Overall I thought this was an interesting cookbook and there were a lot of recipes in here that I had not seen in other Mexican cookbooks. There was also a good assortment of photos of the dish, which visual cooks are sure to appreciate. My only slight complaint is that while I appreciated that the food was organized by region, practically I find this hard to cook from. Often I am looking for something specific (i.e. an appetizer, a fish dish, etc.) and an organziational structure that is region-based means more time spent flipping. However, this is a personal preference so I did not deduct any stars from this, but felt it was worth noting.

Overall this is a solid cookbook. I'm still more of a fan of Rick Bayless as I like his style and range of recipes, but this is a great book as well.

Mexican food did not stop with just tacos and burritos, and modern Mexican chefs are as innovative as those of any other nation. "Mexican Modern: New Food from Mexico" breaks from the standard Mexican tradition that so many American cooks associate and brings readers and cooks new dishes from south of the border. With fine spins on something as simple as marinated shrimp, to seafood broth, to desserts such as strawberries with cheese and honey, the Mexican diet can revolutionize one's own. Each entry has the dish's Spanish name, ingredient list, and step by step directions. "Mexican Modern" is a fine choice for those who want to expand their culinary horizons.

Warning: This book was published earlier as 'Viva La Revolucion" in the UK. Only the title and the cover are different.
The recipes are an nice mix of things modern and traditional. This shouldn't be the only or first Mexican cookbook you get but there's plenty of interesting things here to justify buying.