Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook [Hardcover]

Susanna Palazuelos (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 1991

The drama of Mexico's tumultuous history--the rise and fall of the Olmec and Maya civilizations, the magnificent Aztec world that greeted Cortes, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, and the turbulent revolutionary years--is vividly reflected in the cuisine of this vast country. Mexican food is history itself, a culinary marriage of native Indian foods such as corn, beans, squash, chocolate and chiles with the Spanish contribution of wheat, rice and meats. The merger resulted in one of the world's most intriguing and least understood cuisines.

Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook captures the fascinating culinary heritage of Mexico in one stunning volume. The recipes, prepared by Acapulco-based Susanna Palazuelos, represent a vast selection of authentic Mexican dishes, from all of the states of Mexico. Many of them are unusual regional dishes that have been passed along by word of mouth, such as garlic chicken from Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi's own version of enchiladas. The traditional favorites are here--chiles en nogada, tamales, pozole, tortilla soup--along with some contemporary surprises such as tequila mousse, cilantro soup and lobster crepes. With pine nut sauce. Other well-known Mexican cooks have also contributed their own special recipes to the book.

All 250 recipes have been photographed by Ignacio Urquiza, one of Mexico's foremost food and travel photographers. He also provided the scenic photographs, which lead the reader through the regions of Mexico, revealing the markets, the countryside, the way the people live and eat in this varied and beautiful country. Marilyn Tausend's text provides an informative accompaniment to the recipes and photos, exploring Mexico's dramatic history through its food.

Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook is the essential cookbook for anyone interested in Mexico and Mexican food.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The latest addition to this popular series is a colorful guide to Mexico's diverse regional cuisine. Palazuelos is an experienced chef/caterer, and her recipes are inviting, her headnotes informative; Ignacio Urquiza's photographs of the food are eyecatching but uncontrived. There are many unusual dishes here, both traditional and contemporary, and most are far more sophisticated than the Tex-Mex fare many Americans identify as Mexican food. A good companion to Patricia Quintana's The Taste of Mexico ( LJ 12/86); recommended for most collections.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Susanna Palazuelos has earned a reputation over the past two decades as Mexico's premier caterer. She has hosted parties around the world and at her estate in Acapulco, Casa Tres Fuentes. Palazuelos frequently attends culinary festivals in Mexico and abroad, sharing her vast knowledge of Mexican cooking, which includes traditional dishes as well as nouvelle cuisine. She was recently named to the Circulo Mexicano de Arte Culinario, a group honoring the distinguished women chefs of Mexico. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Murdoch Books UK; 1st edition (September 16, 1991)
• ISBN-10: 1853911887
• ISBN-13: 978-1853911880
• Product Dimensions: 14 x 10.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,304,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for anyone serious about cooking authentic Mexican, July 8, 2001

By 

Dennis Parker (Stockton, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook (Hardcover)

Of my dozens of cookbooks, I've used this one the most. My wife is from Michoacan which led me to get serious about Mexican cuisine. I believe the two essential Mexican cookbooks are this one and Rick Bayless' first cookbook: Authentic Mexican. Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook is a visual masterpiece filled with many great recipes. Every recipe has an accompanying photograph. Bayless' book has superior narrative (but short on pictures), with great stories attached to the recipes -- and Bayless attends to detail in recipe instructions like no other.

Getting specific. Sopas/Caldos. For Americans, soup is probably not the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of Mexican cuisine. It's their best kept culinary secret. This cookbook is filled with outstanding soup recipes. Caldo Tlalpeno, Mole de Olla, Pozole, and Sopa de Tortilla are regularly served in the fall and winter months at our house. There are other great ones we've tried as well: Minguichi (chile and cheese soup), Sopa de Nuez con Chipotle (Pecan soup with chipotle sauce), and Sopa de Acelgas (Chard soup).

The first recipe I ever tried from this book was the Quesadillas. I didn't have fresh masa, so I used masa harlina, which worked surprisingly well. I have since found a Mexican market that sells fresh masa, so I always use that now. I guarantee that you'll never be satisfied with a warmed over store-bought flour tortilla with some cheese thrown inside, once you've made an authentic quesadilla! My Michoacan in-laws were impressed!

If you can get fresh masa, the Picaditas (masa boats) will impress any guest - and they're SO SIMPLE!

I've also tried the more complex and labor-intensive recipes such as Lomo de Cerdo con Salsa de Tomate y Rajas de pimiento Morron (Stuffed pork loin with tomato sauce and green peppers). My mother loved it. The pork is stuffed with fresh spinach and cheese. I highly recommend it!

Next. Salsa. The book has eight outstanding salsa recipes. The mouth-watering pictures and recipes of these eight salsas on Pages 199-200 should alone drive you to buy the book.

Writing this review makes me determined to try one recipe out of this book that I've been dying to try ever since I got it: Tortitas de Tuetano (Fresh masa mixed with marrow topped with an avocado sauce). I've tried several stores, but haven't yet located anyone who will sell me marrow bones.

I very recently tried the recipes for Chiles y Verduras en Escabeche (Pickled chiles and vegetables) from this book and from Bayless' Authnetic Mexican. I do prefer Bayless' version. And if you are trying to make tamales or mole sauce for the first time, I suggest you go with Bayless' instructions.

I confess I've never tried to make any of the dessert recipes in this or any Mexican Cookbook.

Now, the bottom line for many potential cookbook users is, Can I easily get the ingredients? If you can get fresh masa, mexican cheese (such as queso cotija or queso fresco - don't go with the feta mentioned as a possible substitute), tomatillos, and dried chiles such as ancho/pasillas and New Mexico chiles, you're in great shape. And fresh masa is actually used in only a small proportion of the recipes.

In sum, get Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook and Rick Bayless' Authentic Mexican. Great investments. Those who appreciate good food will love you.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic yet simple, April 29, 2003

By 

"f-n-c" (San Antonio del Mar, Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook (Hardcover)

This book is a classic of Mexican Cuisine. It's not as anal-retentive as Diana Kennedy and more appealing than Rick Bayless. The recipes are truly authentic and I have lived in Mexico for many years, researching the cuisines of Mexico. This book contains the majority of the most common dishes cooked in homes in Mexico and a great deal of the "alta cocina" works as well. I have made 75% of the dishes in this book and have served them to Mexican friends to rave reviews. This is the real thing. Marilyn Tausend collaborated in this book and it shows. She is an unsung hero of Mexican Cooking. There are others better known, but few that can take a recipe and make it easy to follow, yet as authentic as is possible with ingredients available in the US. If you want to cook like a real Mexican chef, get this book!

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most authentic Mexican Cookbook I've ever used., January 22, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Mexico: The Beautiful Cookbook (Hardcover)

I lived in central Mexico for several years. I fell in love with the cuisines of the country, and Mexico the Beautiful is one of the most authentic and varied cookbooks I've found, and my bookshelf includes the works of Diana Kennedy, considered by most to be the authority on Mexican cooking.. My Mexican relatives and friends were wowed by the recipes I made from this book.Several actually asking me jokingly if I were sure that I didn't have any Mexican blood, because my food was so authentic. They all agreed that they were not only delicious, but good representations of the cuisines.

I also found it helpful to know what region the recipe originated from, and each recipe has a corresponding photo.

This is absolutely the best Mexican cookbook I've ever seen.

I'm sure you won't use this as is, but feel free to change it around.

This will be my second copy, as the original was destroyed in a flood. I just can't live without this book.