No one knows Mexican food--or Mexico--like Josefina Howard. Her Rosa Mexicano is not only rated by Zagat's as the top Mexican restaurant in New York, its fare is honored by Mexicans themselves. Cooks who have seen her on PBS, CNN, the Television Food Network, and Martha Stewart Living have longed to re-create her mouth-watering dishes at home. Now they can. Overflowing with Josefina's passion for Mexican culture and cuisine, her vibrant snatches of personal memoir and social history, and her own award-winning color photographs, Rosa Mexicano is the fruit of a lifetime love affair with a country and far outshines mere cookbooks. This book, which took ten years to create, is the result of her frequent trips to Mexico--as many as four or five a year. As for the astonishing recipes, they are as colorful and diverse as the culture that gave birth to them and far surpass their popular Americanized counterparts. Unusual herbs add distinctive flavors to a host of uniquely south-of-the-border delectables: delicate soups made with zucchini blossoms, pozole (Mexican chicken soup, except it's made with pork!), and stuffed peppers garnished with pomegranate seeds. This is the real face of one of the most misunderstood great cuisines of the world, and a tantalizing holiday gift for all cooks and ethnic culture mavens.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Diners at Manhattan's top-rated Rosa Mexicano have long begged its owner-chef, Josefina Howard, to write a cookbook. She has done better. Rosa Mexicano: A Culinary Autobiography with 70 Recipes provides an introduction to Mexico itself, as well as examples of her restaurant's vibrant, authentic cooking. In chapters such as "Tacos: An Endless Adventure," "My First Pozole," and "Mexico City: Life in Another Dimension," Howard seamlessly weaves memoir, social history, and culinary investigation. Lovers of richly personal food books will be delighted, as will cooks who enjoy learning about the world's great dishes.
The recipes themselves are as diverse as the country of their birth. Dishes such as Lamb Shanks Coated with Three Chiles, Garlic and Spices, a savory meal wrapped and steamed in parchment; a superbly delicate Corn and Chipotle Soup; and the mighty pozole itself, a stew made with pork, chicken, and hominy, are delectable and uncomplicated to prepare. Howard also provides a brief dictionary of chiles, an exploration of Mexican herbs such as the pivotal epazote, and ongoing information about other typical ingredients, which most cooks will find readily available. The book is illustrated with Howard's own award-winning color photographs, providing yet another glimpse of the real Mexico. --Arthur Boehm
From Booklist
Many New Yorkers discovered their first authentic Mexican regional cooking at Rosa Mexicano, Josefina Howard's acclaimed Manhattan taqueria. In this memoir with recipes, Howard recounts her life in Spain, Mexico, and the U.S. After arriving in New York, she attended Peter Kump's cooking school and washed dishes after classes. Her dream of opening an authentic Mexican restaurant finally became reality when fresh Mexican ingredients began appearing in New York markets. She wowed urban palates with her moles, and she appreciated the role of intense colors in the best Mexican cooking. Howard's reminiscences make this much more than a mere cookbook, but she records emotionally wrenching episodes such as her son's death with little reflection. A worthwhile cookbook, with some easily reproducible recipes, but the recipes may seem less novel in communities longer accustomed to authentic Mexican cooking. Mark Knoblauch
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
True Mexican Cooking,
By D. Deacon (Burbank, California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rosa Mexicano (Hardcover)
The recipes in this great book are of true old mexican cooking that is hard to find today, and it is a great read as well. I give it Five Star's in my cookbook collection.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Amazing Mexican Food Cookbook,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Rosa Mexicano (Hardcover)
Through more than 30 years, I have been able to put together quite a collection of cookbooks. Having lived in several parts of Mexico, its cuisine is my favorite and books on its cuisine make up the largest section of my collection. I do not exaggerate when I say that "Rosa Mexicano" by Josefina Howard, which I was not familiar with until I recently purchased it, has become my favorite. I definitely like the recipes. Even the ones I am familiar with and have been cooking for a long time have a new ingredient or additional step that make me want to incorporate into my own recipe next time I make it. But what I am fascinated with is her approach to Mexican food in her restaurant: wanting to serve her guests wonderful Mexican food while offering them an educational experience. This is precisely what distinguishes her cookbook from others I own - the extensive, interesting and well-researched information she includes about ingredients and techniques in Mexican cuisine. She explains the origins and past traditions regarding certain dishes as well as the changes they have gone through through the years. This book's content is both delicious and didactic.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rosa Mexicano by Josefina Howard,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Rosa Mexicano (Hardcover)
This is a very well-written and highly interesting book! The recipes are truly delicious! I highly recommend this book to any new/old/aspiring cook. Not only are the recipes easy to follow, but the commentaries and descriptions make this book interesting reading for any time of day!
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